Chapter 34: The Small Branch Leader Announcement Ceremony (5)
Normally, my father handled everything without a single flaw.
But on the very day his eldest son was to be named small branch leader, that unprecedented assassination attempt had left him momentarily exposed.
He needed to calm everyone down quickly and restore the festive mood...
That's when I spotted the man in charge of the drums.
I rushed over to the flustered fellow and said,
"Get up on the platform and start drumming, quick."
"Pardon?"
"Now!"
At my words, he scrambled up onto the platform and struck the drum.
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
The sudden drumbeat drew all eyes to the platform.
I turned to my father.
"This is your moment, Father."
"Ah! Right!"
Only then did he pull himself together and ascend the platform alongside Jeong Ho.
"As you're all aware, there was an unfortunate incident just moments ago. My eldest son, the new small branch leader, was nearly murdered by an assassin."
"......"
"By heaven's grace, he remains unharmed. We still don't know who orchestrated this, but neither I nor the Eunhae Merchant Group will let it stand."
"......"
"That said, those of you uninvolved have nothing to fear. We will continue treating you with the same integrity we've always shown."
Jeong Ho nodded beside him, adding his own greeting.
"I vow the same."
"The fun was nearly spoiled, but let's resume the feast. More wine and food will be served—eat and drink your fill."
Father called out to the musicians.
"Play on!"
"Yes, sir!"
With their response, music filled the hall once more, and the dancers resumed their graceful movements.
The guests, using the recent scare as lively conversation fodder, raised their cups and toasted.
The atmosphere warmed again, cheerful and vibrant.
No one had died, after all.
Thank goodness.
In my previous life, the mood had never recovered, and the banquet had ended prematurely.
It had left nothing but bitter memories for Jeong Ho—a poor start to his small branch leader announcement ceremony.
As Father descended the platform, he approached me and grasped my hand.
"Thank you. You helped me snap out of it."
"Even without me, you would've regained your composure soon enough."
"No. That was a shocking blow. I doubt I could've steadied myself so quickly."
His hand still trembled as he spoke.
.
.
.
Evening fell.
The banquet stretched into the night.
The Central Plains were vast, and guests rarely arrived precisely on time.
Most banquets like this lasted several days, not wrapping up in just one or two.
The first day, with its formal ceremonies, was always the grandest, followed by progressively scaled-down festivities.
That might explain why the assassin had targeted the opening day—maximum chaos, maximum crowds, perfect cover to slip in.
I'm exhausted.
Yawning, I headed to my quarters.
On the way, I spotted Jeong Ho emerging from the medical pavilion and called out happily.
"Hey? Brother."
"Ah, Seo-ho."
I glanced toward the pavilion.
"Coming from checking on Jeon Woo-jin warrior? How's he doing?"
"Luckily, the physicians acted fast."
"That's a relief."
"Yeah, it is. If Woo-jin had died, I... it would've torn me apart."
Jeong Ho let out a deep sigh, then hardened his expression.
"That faceless assassin who targeted me—according to the reception maid, he was a guest waiting in my private chambers."
"Really?"
"But Woo-jin had a bad feeling, and with our promise, I didn't go."
His words explained why he'd acted differently from my previous life.
Just because of our promise, he skipped the reception?
For someone as etiquette-conscious as him, that seemed odd.
"If it'd happened in the reception quarters... it would've been a disaster."
"Exactly—blessed among misfortunes."
"But..."
He looked at me pointedly.
"Did you... know the assassin was coming for me?"
I flinched inwardly but kept a straight face, chuckling it off.
"Haha, what're you talking about? How would I know that?"
"You said you felt uneasy. Then the silver concealment bracelet you gave me, and your suggestions on physician placements. Putting it all together... it just feels off."
Of course...
He might seem soft-hearted, but no one was sharper than Jeong Ho.
And once he latched onto a doubt, he'd dig relentlessly until satisfied.
If I didn't give him a solid explanation now, this would drag on.
I couldn't exactly say I'd returned to life at fifteen after dying, though.
"And you told Father to bolster security, right?"
"Well, about that..."
I grinned and continued.
"Master mentioned a bad feeling."
"I know that much. Chief Steward Go passed it on, and that's why we tightened guards. But it doesn't fully explain things."
"...And ever since that illness, my instincts have sharpened weirdly. The silver concealment poem bracelet for you? Pure coincidence."
"Really?"
"Truth is, I got it from that elder's shop."
The old man who'd caught the culprit ran a sundries store—and his true identity as the infamous Ghost Face Cloth meant Jeong Ho wouldn't press further.
"He must've helped."
"Something like that."
Jeong Ho looked convinced.
Whew, dodged that.
Back in my quarters, I sat at the desk, lost in thought.
Unlike my previous life, Jeon Woo-jin had survived, and we'd captured the assassin alive.
That meant we could uncover the mastermind behind the hit on Jeong Ho.
Sending an assassin, though...
Feels just like black path thugs.
No way it's Baekcheon Merchant Group, right?
Given how I'd died by their hands and the Murim Alliance warriors in my past life, suspicion came naturally.
Come to think of it, Master had said the killing intent felt like black path aura.
Then Palgap's voice rang out.
"Young master! Young master! Coming in!"
He burst through the door before I could reply.
Valets and guards could enter their lord's chambers unannounced, of course—delaying for permission in an emergency could be fatal.
But that's beside the point...
Palgap's expression screamed big news.
"What is it?"
"We found out!"
"Found out... what?"
With that look on his face, only one possibility.
"You mean who targeted Jeong Ho brother?"
"Yes! Exactly!"
Palgap nodded vigorously.
"That old man interrogated so masterfully, the faceless creep spilled everything—hideout, client list, the works. Silver Wind Squad fetched the list, and there it was."
He caught his breath before continuing.
"The name of Black Brew Gang's leader, Oh Dae-deuk."
I recalled Master's words.
The culprit was real black path?
.
.
.
The moment it came out that Black Brew Gang leader Oh Dae-deuk had commissioned Jeong Ho's assassination, Eunhae Merchant Group sprang into action.
The sundries shop elder—Ghost Face Cloth—mobilized his network, unearthing the gang's remnants.
What they uncovered was horrific beyond words.
Counterfeiting currency while masquerading as a legitimate firm, even human trafficking.
Crimes warranting execution.
Soon, the censorate mobilized.
With crimes this grave, it was inevitable—but faster than expected.
The elder's connections, no doubt.
"With the imperial troops moving in, Black Brew Gang's trapped like rats in a jar."
I nodded at Palgap's words.
Truth be told, they'd hounded our Eunhae Merchant Group endlessly.
Until they foolishly provoked a major sect and got wiped out.
Remembering the losses from their meddling felt oddly satisfying.
And for all the victims they'd created, extinction now was merciful.
Wait a second...
Something in Palgap's report nagged at me.
"Palgap, what'd you just say?"
"Pardon? With the troops moving, they're trapped like rats in a jar."
"Right... rats! What do rats make you think of?"
"Rats... holes?"
"...!"
I shot to my feet.
"Rat hole!"
Back then, Black Brew Gang vanished entirely—except the leader, who survived by holing up in a mountain bandit lair.
Despite our airtight net, how had he escaped?
There had to be a rat hole.
I hurriedly unrolled the map of Sungyang County and located their base.
"Where is it...?"
My eyes scanned swiftly, finger jabbing one spot.
Found the rat hole.
"Here."
Problem was time.
Best to send troops immediately, but too late for that.
I had to go myself.
Palgap was the issue.
He'd throw a fit if I said I was hunting the leader...
Time to use the veil mask from the shop.
.
.
.
I told Palgap I was turning in and shooed him out.
Then I pulled out the veil mask.
Its name: Phantom Illusion Mirror.
It let you project an illusion of yourself anywhere desired.
Later, it fell into a notorious serial killer's hands, used to fake alibis.
Despite mountains of evidence, witnesses swore they'd seen him elsewhere during the murders, letting him walk free repeatedly.
Eventually, someone noticed: none of those witnesses had actually spoken to him.
One persistent detective dug in and nabbed the bastard.
But in my hands, no such villainy.
I rubbed the mirror exactly thirty-three times and placed it on the bed.
My perfect likeness appeared atop the sheets.
Hm, handsome fellow.
Especially now, with dedicated training sculpting my body—looking good.
Focus.
I shook off the distraction, covered the illusion with blankets, and slipped out the window.
Just scale the compound wall, and I'm gone.
Then—
"Young master."
"Gah!"
I nearly tumbled backward.
"Where do you think you're off to?"
Palgap stood before me.
How? I hadn't sensed his presence at all.
"Uh, well, you see..."
Palgap was overprotective, sure—but he'd laid down his life for me.
Keeping secrets from him stirred guilt.
He was sharp, quick on the uptake.
Couldn't hide forever.
Better spill now.
"Going to catch the black path leader."
"Pardon? The gang leader? The troops and Deputy Chief Steward will handle him. You should..."
"Secret passage."
I pressed on.
"There's a secret passage. And right now, I'm the only one who knows."
"Then we must report it..."
"By then, he'll have fled Sungyang County. That's why I have to go now."
"I'll summon guards, then."
"Too slow!"
I stated firmly.
"Even if you block me, I'll go. This guy's the one who tried to kill my brother. Could you live under the same sky as scum like that?"
"......"
"And I've trained hard. Even Master acknowledged it."
Palgap sighed.
"You've always been stubborn—no one can stop you. Fine. But you go with me."
"With you?"
"Yes. That way, if something happens, I know who did it—and can avenge you."
"......"
Palgap would avenge me even after fifty years.
His words carried weight.
No helping it.
On my safety, he brooked no compromise.
"Alright. Then hurry—dawdle, and I leave without you."