Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: [Secret Clinic] Lee Gil-dong the Taoist Returns (1)
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Night had deepened.
The full moon hung high, and it was the hour when all the Yakseondang household had fallen asleep.
I slipped back into my black plain robes and tugged the bamboo hat low over my face.
'Time to return as Taoist Lee Gil-dong.'
Today was the day I was set to meet the thief Cheon Bong and bodyguard Jang Tae-su.
The rendezvous we'd agreed on twenty days earlier at the abandoned house.
'While I'm at it, I should ask if they know anything about the palace.'
That eunuch Kim Naegwan bastard... I really couldn't let him slide.
I'd track down wherever he was crashed out in the palace and give him a midnight beating.
I headed for the abandoned house, our meeting spot.
The two of them were pressed flat to the ground before me.
The thief Cheon Bong and Jang Tae-su, bodyguard of the Chief State Councillor's household.
"Taoist Master, here's the information you requested."
Cheon Bong pulled a crumpled wad of paper from his bosom and held it out.
Jang Tae-su carefully set down a silk pouch as well.
"This is part of the secret fund ledger I copied from His Lordship's study."
"Good work."
I skimmed through the papers.
Records of bribes pocketed by the Chief State Councillor. A list of spies planted in the palace through his daughter, a consort in the rear palace. And even the names of those involved in the plot to assassinate the Queen this time.
Far more solid intel than I'd expected.
'This'll be plenty of evidence to expose the mastermind later.'
I nodded in satisfaction and tucked the documents into my bosom.
Then I got down to business.
"Anyway, do either of you know anything about an inner servant named Kim Naegwan?"
"Pardon? You mean Lord Kim Naegwan?"
Jang Tae-su's eyes went wide.
"Just a personal grudge. Things like when that bastard slips out of the palace... or where he's holed up sleeping inside. Petty details like that."
Jang Tae-su looked troubled at my words.
"I... I wouldn't know. I'm just a guard protecting the Chief State Councillor's household, so palace internals are beyond me... I only know he has quarters somewhere near the royal pharmacy."
"Tch. Useless."
Jang Tae-su flinched and bowed his head as I clicked my tongue.
At that moment, Cheon Bong's eyes sparkled from the side as he chimed in.
"Hehe, Taoist Master. I know a thing or two about that."
"Oh? You do?"
"Who am I? No corner of Hanyang my feet haven't touched. Truth is, I even know the dog hole Lord Kim Naegwan sneaks over the palace wall through every night to hit the brothels."
"Hooh."
"And his quarters inside are right behind the royal pharmacy, near the pavilion called Hyangwonjeong—in an annex. It's out of the way, perfect for slipping out at night. I snagged some silk from there once, so I know it well."
This guy?
More capable than I'd given him credit for.
I'd pegged him as a small-time crook, but he treated the palace walls like his front door.
Well, that explained why a powerhouse like the Chief State Councillor's family had hired him.
"You're more useful than I thought."
"Thank you! Anything else you're curious about, just ask!"
Cheon Bong beamed, thrilled at the praise.
Good. Now I had his location.
Soon enough, I'd sneak in at night and plant my foot in that Kim Naegwan bastard's ass.
Daring to tell his lifesaver to buzz off because he stank?
Time he learned his lesson proper.
Then Jang Tae-su spoke up, hesitating.
"Um, Taoist Master. I have something to report."
"What."
"Well... I did tell His Lordship about the missing box... B-but of course I didn't say a word about you! I swear! I just claimed the thief Cheon Bong stole it and bolted."
"Hey! Why pin it on me?!"
Cheon Bong, who'd been listening, leaped to his feet.
"What was I supposed to do? Can't say you took it! And it was you who was meant to steal it anyway—blaming you's the most natural!"
"Man, that's cold. If word gets out I stole it and ran, I'm dead the second the Chief State Councillor spots me!"
"You're a thief—running's your whole life anyway!"
"Quiet. Both of you, shut it."
I cut off their squabbling.
Long story short: Jang Tae-su had thrown Cheon Bong under the cart to save his own skin, so now the Chief State Councillor believed the box had been stolen outright.
"So? How'd the Chief State Councillor take it?"
"Well... He's lost a lot of faith in me. Gave me a royal chewing-out for botching the job like that. Lucky my past service kept my head on my shoulders, but..."
Jang Tae-su let out a heavy sigh.
Well, from the Chief State Councillor's angle, those precious herbs in the box must've been a prize—and to have some no-name thief snatch them away? Had to sting.
'Not my problem.'
Anyway, my cover was intact. Jang Tae-su keeping his head was just gravy.
But.
Swoosh.
A faint sensation brushed my mind.
Something had tripped my [Mana Detection].
'...What's this?'
Around the abandoned house.
Dozens of presences in the distant woods and beyond the walls.
No casual passersby.
They were holding their breaths, muffling footsteps—closing a net with clear killing intent.
One, two, three... twenty.
Roughly twenty men.
"Jang Tae-su."
"Y-yes?"
"You lead with a tail?"
"Pardon? A tail? No way..."
Jang Tae-su went white as a sheet.
"Looks like you didn't just lose trust—you picked up suspicion too."
"N-no, impossible! Surely..."
"Maybe he bought the Cheon Bong theft story, but figured you might've colluded. So he tailed you, betting you'd meet up to reclaim the goods."
That was the lay of the land.
The Chief State Councillor hadn't bought Jang Tae-su's story wholesale.
Sent private troops on the sly to shadow him—and now they were closing in to bust the meet.
"W-what do we do, Taoist Master? Are we done for?"
Cheon Bong shuddered, ducking behind me.
Jang Tae-su paled too, fingers twitching on his sword hilt.
"Calm yourselves. About twenty of 'em. Elite stock, by the feel."
No amateurs—these presences.
Footwork stealthy, formation tight. Well-drilled private soldiers.
Even with my [Steel Body], a flurry of blind blades could nick me up.
Torn robes would be a hassle too.
'Worst, I can't let these two get hurt.'
My prized informants.
Their deaths would mean headaches down the line.
"You two stay put. I'll handle it and be back."
"Alone? If you're right, they're the Chief State Councillor's personal guard! Every one's worth ten men!"
I smirked past Jang Tae-su's protest.
"Exactly why I'm going. You step out, you'll end up pincushions."
"B-but..."
"Taoist Master Lee Gil-dong! Can't you just cast a shrinking-earth spell and bail?"
Cheon Bong pleaded, face crumbling.
"You doubt this Taoist?"
"W-well... but..."
He couldn't flat-out say it, but his eyes darted every which way.
Shring.
I drew the three-section staff from my inventory.
A flick of the wrist—clash—and the black rod snapped out long.
"It'll be quick. Don't peek."
And.
Bang!
I kicked off the floor the instant I finished speaking.
Superhuman physique, mana-boosted reinforcement, crowned with Earth's Blessing—peak velocity.
To them, it'd look just like a shrinking-earth spell.
Outside the abandoned house, in the thick reed-choked woods.
Black-masked men crept with caution.
The Chief State Councillor's top elites, his personal guard—the Black Shadow Corps.
"Jang Tae-su had dirty intentions after all."
"Others inside too. The thief, and some unknown."
Two squad leaders whispered low from behind a tree.
"His Lordship's orders: storm in, take 'em alive. Kill if they fight. Recover the goods no matter what. And that traitor Jang Tae-su? Make it hurt."
"Perimeter's locked down, from what I heard."
"Good. Signal and we hit 'em all at once. One, two..."
The leaders were mid-signal.
Whoosh.
A wind-cutting whistle from somewhere.
Short. Menacing.
"...?"
The leader cocked his head, glancing aside.
His subordinate—who'd been right there—vanished.
"Hey, Chil-su? Where you at?"
No answer.
Just reeds rustling in the breeze.
"Where'd he go? Spooked by a ghost?"
As he scanned, baffled.
Thud!
A heavy impact echoed.
From the opposite side—3rd Squad's ambush point.
"Argh!"
An agonized death rattle.
Followed by tumbling crashes.
"Wh-what the—? What's going on?!"
The leader bellowed in alarm.
But screams answered, not words.
"Gah! M-my arm!"
"Where?! Where's it coming from?!"
"Arrrgh!"
Screams exploded from all sides at once.
Drawling nearer.
"Wh-what...! 3rd! 4th! Report!"
Nothing.
Just bone-snaps, wet bursts, terrorized howls reverberating.
"Th-this..."
His remaining man backed away, quaking.
"G-ghost! Ghost in the woods, has to be!"
"Ghosts can rot... shut your trap!"
"No good. We pull back! Regroup and..."
One leader called the shot.
Too late.
Chill.
Cold prickle at his back—then a low, icy voice from thin air.
"Who said so?"
"...?!"
The leader whipped around.
Crunch!
Something black flashed before his eyes, caving in his subordinate's skull.
Beyond the foaming, collapsing mask—a figure.
Black plain robes, bamboo hat.
One with the dark. The grim reaper incarnate.
The leader swallowed hard.
"Wh-who are you?!"
"Guess."
A toothy grin in return.
"F-form ranks! Take him!"
The leader yanked his sword free, roaring.
The last two soldiers lunged, blades trained.
Elite teamwork, seamless.
But.
"Pathetic slugs."
Not even a threat to the stranger.
Swish.
He dipped his head past the first swing, then whipped the black rod upward from below.
Crack!
"Urk!"
One's jaw wrenched around—he floated midair—as a knee crushed the other's solar plexus.
Now, just the two leaders.
Snap!
Make that one.
"Y-you monster...!"
The survivor staggered back, flailing his blade.
Terror-fueled hacks.
Sloppy.
No chance a panicked swing would land true.
The intruder casually smacked the sword aside with his black club.
Clang!
The blade sailed into the void.
"Eek!"
The leader crashed onto his rear.
Glanced around: twenty Black Shadow Corpsmen littered the woods.
Arms snapped, legs twisted, out cold.
Not one unscathed.
Madness for a squad leader.
Where the hell had this freak dropped from?
"Let's start with a beating."
"Sp-spare... argh!"
Crunch.
A foot ground into his shoulder—horrid scream ripped free.
"Who sent you?"
"Ch-Chief State... Councillor... ugh!"
"Thought so."
The intruder hauled him up by the hair.
"Go tell him."
"...Pardon?"
"Hands off Jang Tae-su. He's mine now. Send more rats, and next time? Your heads at his bedside—Chief or no."
"U-understood! I'll relay it!"
"One more thing."
The man grinned, whispering close.
"Tell him Lee Gil-dong the Taoist is always watching."
"L-Lee Gil-dong the Taoist... got it!"
"Now scram."
The intruder let go. The leader scrambled off on hands and knees.