Golden Buddha Statue (3)
A moment later, Geumryeong returned.
"Good job!"
"Kkwi!"
"You did exactly as I instructed, right?"
"Kkwi-kkwi! Kkwi!"
Exactly as instructed, so don't worry—just prepare the gold coin.
Yeah, got it.
I chuckled and sent a sound transmission to Yi Pil Warrior.
"We're heading back to the inn now."
On the way back, we used a dog hole again, but a different one from before.
Since these weren't proper secret passages, each dog hole had a specific usable time window, and now we had to use one from another direction.
We slipped out of the Murim Alliance quietly through the dog hole and arrived at the inn.
Seo-u Warrior, who had been keeping watch from the rooftop, spotted us and quickly lowered a rope.
We climbed up the rope and entered the room through the window.
Someone lay on the bed, but I didn't panic.
It was just my illusion created with the Phantom Mirror Technique.
Leaving the illusion in place, I headed straight into the annex room.
There, on the floor of the annex, sat the golden Buddha statue.
Feeling the aura emanating from it, I smiled.
The real golden Buddha artifact.
Meaning Geumryeong had succeeded.
It would've been tough if the statue had been just a bit larger.
Geumryeong was truly commendable.
I felt it again—meeting Geumryeong was the greatest stroke of luck in this lifetime of mine.
Dawn broke.
I went down to the first floor for breakfast.
"Did you have a good night, sir?"
"Yes. A very good night."
An exceedingly satisfying one, at that.
I returned the inn boy's greeting and took a seat at the table.
"I heard you take porridge for breakfast. Shall I prepare some?"
"Yes, please."
Soon the inn boy brought porridge portions for our group, and we filled our stomachs lightly.
"We plan to depart sometime this morning."
"Understood."
I wondered when the Alliance Leader would notice the golden Buddha statue was gone.
Just then, a group of people entered the inn where I was staying.
Judging by the badges at their waists, they were Murim Alliance warriors.
Speak of the tiger, and he appears.
They scanned the interior, spotted me, and approached.
"Are you Eun Seo-ho, the sub-branch leader?"
"That's me."
"We have a few questions. Come with us to the Alliance."
"What's this about?"
"You'll find out when you get there."
Hah... how annoying.
I knew why they were taking me, but their high-handed attitude, treating me like a subordinate...
Even knowing I was Seonhyeopmirang, they acted this way because I was a mere merchant.
Dealing with types like this was simple.
I clasped my hands in a fist salute and said,
"If I can be of help, then of course."
As I did, I subtly let drop the document I'd received yesterday, bearing the Alliance Leader's certification.
"Oh no! That precious thing!"
As I reached to grab it, he stepped on it with his foot and said,
"I'll check it first."
"That's fine, but... are you sure you want to?"
"What's there to worry about?"
"That document was personally written for me by the Alliance Leader yesterday. In other words, you're stepping on the Alliance Leader's handwritten document right now."
His face drained of color in an instant.
At that moment, a Murim Alliance warrior behind him spoke up.
"A mere merchant carrying the Alliance Leader's personal handwriting? That's nonsense."
"If you don't believe me, check it yourself."
They picked up the document, now bearing a footprint, and unfolded it.
Their faces soon turned ashen.
Of course they did.
The document I'd shown them was the real certification, written and stamped by the Alliance Leader himself.
I let out a sigh.
"To think the Alliance Leader's authority has fallen this low! What a lamentable state."
He swallowed hard and asked,
"But why do you have this document?"
Finally, some respect in his tone.
"I carried out the Alliance Leader's orders and went to Mount Tai. This is the reward I received. So, could you return it now? Even with the footprint from your boot, it's still a precious document."
"Ah, s-sorry."
He hurriedly handed it back to me.
"So, what problem prompted you to drag me to the Murim Alliance?"
"Well..."
He glanced around and whispered,
"Truth is, there was a theft at the Alliance."
"A theft?"
"Yes. An artifact stored in the Alliance Leader's chambers has gone missing, and the entire Alliance is in an uproar. Since it arrived yesterday, we're conducting a full investigation of everyone who entered or exited then."
That artifact is currently in my annex.
But I put on a sympathetic expression.
"Good heavens! To think such a thing could happen at the Murim Alliance."
"That's why everything's in chaos."
He sighed deeply, as if the ground might cave in.
I nodded readily, as if understanding.
"Given the situation, I'll cooperate. But I need to hurry back to Beijing, so I can't spare much time."
"Thank you. It won't take long."
I followed him to the Murim Alliance.
The atmosphere there was utter pandemonium.
I was led into a room where an investigator sat.
The man who'd brought me said to him,
"This is Seonhyeopmirang Eun Seo-ho Daehyeop. He says he entered the Alliance yesterday on the Leader's orders."
"I see. I'll handle the rest."
The man saluted with clasped fists and left the room. The investigator said to me,
"Have a seat."
I sat before him, and he asked,
"You say you entered and exited the Alliance yesterday on the Leader's orders—what was it about?"
"I can't discuss that."
The investigator's brow furrowed.
"Why not?"
"It wouldn't be proper to divulge the Alliance Leader's orders without permission. Bring his approval, and I'll tell you."
Inside the Murim Alliance Leader's chambers.
The current Alliance Leader was in a foul mood.
The golden Buddha artifact he'd stored in his own chambers had vanished without a trace.
His chambers were heavily guarded—no one could enter casually.
Moreover, it had been placed in a safe with multiple layers of mechanisms and poisons. Stealing it would require a ghost.
That morning, he'd gone to check its status and discovered it gone—how flustered he'd been.
In its place sat a single stone and a letter.
He'd tried reading the aura from the stone to find the culprit, but it had been exposed to too many people's energies to be useful.
Leaving the stone was clearly meant to mock him.
Which only soured his mood further.
The letter pinned under the stone was a warning of the next crime.
One month from now, I will take the Nangong family's treasure, Yunseul.
As a result, he'd dispatched an armed force to the Nangong family.
He'd also summoned the Investigation Squad and ordered them to find the culprit immediately. They were now investigating on all fronts.
Since the theft had occurred at dawn today, the thief likely hadn't left Luoyang yet.
"Alliance Leader."
"What is it?"
"Investigator Gong wishes an audience."
"Send him in."
The door opened, and Investigator Gong entered.
"What is it?"
"We're investigating the incident. We've called in everyone who entered the Alliance yesterday, and among them is Seonhyeopmirang Eun Seo-ho Daehyeop."
Eun Seo-ho had indeed come to the Alliance yesterday to deliver the golden Buddha, so his entry was recorded.
"We're trying to investigate why he entered, but he says he'll only speak with your permission."
The Alliance Leader smiled in satisfaction.
He'd thought Eun Seo-ho was just a capable, greedy merchant, but this showed he was a man of integrity.
"No need to investigate him."
"Pardon?"
"He's the one who brought the stolen artifact."
"Ah, I see."
"He carried out this mission with the Dragon Child Squad's six original team leaders."
"Still, shouldn't we verify? Since he knew about the artifact."
"Fair point. Then just check his movements last night. That should suffice, right?"
"Understood."
I waited in the investigation room, enjoying some refreshments.
These snacks are pretty good.
The tea brewing's mediocre, though.
As I finished the snacks, the investigator returned.
"Ah, back from seeing the Alliance Leader?"
"Yes. Do you know where the golden Buddha was stored?"
"Don't tell me the stolen item is that golden Buddha?"
"Answer only my questions."
"In the Alliance Leader's chambers, right?"
"How did you know that?"
He asked sharply, but I replied nonchalantly.
"The man who brought me here told me. Said an artifact from the Alliance Leader's chambers went missing, the whole Alliance is in uproar, and since it arrived yesterday, they're investigating everyone who came and went then."
He pressed his forehead with his fingers, deep in thought.
"Then... tell me about your movements yesterday."
"Simple enough. I left the Murim Alliance yesterday and went straight back to the inn. Unpacked, had dinner, then went to my room and slept."
"That's all?"
"Yes. Slept like a log and only woke up this morning."
"Anyone to verify that?"
"My attendants and guards can confirm. Ask the inn boys too—I had dinner and went to my room last night, and came down for breakfast this morning."
"Understood. Wait here a moment."
"Could you bring another plate of snacks? I'm so furious I need to calm down with some more."
"What's got you so angry?"
"How could I not be? I went all the way to Mount Tai through all that hardship, and now it's stolen!"
"...I'll get you another plate."
A moment later, the investigator returned and said,
"You've been cleared. You're free to go."
I stood and said to him,
"Thank you. And catch that thief, please."
"We will."
I saluted with clasped fists and left, a faint smile on my lips.
Sorry, but you won't catch that thief.
With the golden Buddha off the table for good, they'll never find them.
I'd specifically instructed Geumryeong to leave a stone and a fake warning letter in the Alliance Leader's safe.
To make it look like the work of a professional thief.
And in the fake letter, I'd included plans to steal the Nangong family's treasure, Yunseul.
I was fairly skilled at disguising handwriting, so no worries there.
Yunseul was a treasure and weapon stored by the Nangong family—a gorgeously resonant geomungo.
I knew of it from my previous life, when a Nangong member had boasted about it.
They were probably on high alert now, but in a month, they'd realize it was a dud.
The Nangong folks and Murim Alliance would suffer a bit, but the Grand Murim Assembly was just months away.
No time to dwell on a golden Buddha thief then.
I returned to the inn.
"My lord!"
"You're back, my lord!"
"Young master!"
"I'm fine, don't worry. Did the investigator come to the inn earlier?"
"Yes. Asked all sorts of questions. Even grilled several inn boys."
Seems like a thorough sort.
Good thing we'd prepared our alibis well.
"You've all worked hard. Let's hurry and depart."
"Yes, sir."
We packed up and mounted our horses.
"Hiiing!"
Yeah, I know it's stifling.
The Zhuqiang horse seemed quite frustrated. And since riding them was faster anyway, we decided to gallop to Beijing on the Zhuqiang horses.
Thanks to pushing hard on the Zhuqiang horses, we arrived in Beijing in just a few days.
Fast is great, but exhausting.
"Sub-branch Leader!"
"Has the third sub-branch leader returned?"
"Yes. Safely. No issues at the branch?"
"All quiet."
"Good."
I headed straight to Jeong Ho hyung's office. Had to report my return.
Upon reaching Jeong Ho hyung's office, his guard greeted me.
"You're back?"
"Yes."
"He's inside. Go on in."
Seeing Jeong Ho hyung inside, I flinched.
His eyes were ringed black like a corpse's as he muttered over documents.
"Eun Seo-ho, that bastard... I won't let him get away with this. Eun Seo-ho, you punk..."
His terrifying aura made me step back involuntarily.
Jeong Ho hyung, why so scary?
.
.
.
It took a while, but I finally sat at the desk.
Jeong Ho hyung had dumped the work on me and gone to sleep, so I had to continue it.
Yeah, it was my job originally anyway.
By the time I wrapped up the urgent tasks, night had fallen.
"Deputy Kwon."
"Yes?"
"Let's take a short walk."
I left the office with Seo Hyang Sojeo and strolled through the rear garden.
"Fortunately, it's not too hot at night."
July was nearly over.
"Maybe because I've been practicing Cheonryu Gong. Doesn't feel that hot."
"That's a relief."
I pulled a red-paper-wrapped item from my sleeve.
"Here, take this."
"Pardon?"
"I passed through Shandong this time and remembered, so I bought one."
"May I unwrap it?"
"Of course."
She unwrapped it and looked surprised.
"Rouge?"
"Yes. I was just going to buy the rouge dish, but it felt lacking, so I got this too. Do you like the color?"
"I do. Very much."
"Good."
I felt a bit embarrassed and looked up at the sky.
Ah, forgot to give Geumryeong that gold coin.