NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49
Chapter 49: Hao Mun Branch Office
After descending from Gongdong Mountain, my disciple and I began to purchase various items needed for our journey at Hwajeong County’s Marketplace.
Things like beef jerky and dried fruit for a long-distance trip.
“Hey, look over there! Candy! Candy!” my disciple exclaimed, tugging on my sleeve excitedly.
Candy, huh?
That’s for kids, right?
Or wait, considering his age, is he still a kid?
In this medieval martial world, sweet food was a rare treat. So it was understandable for my disciple to want some.
“Is it okay if I eat some candy?” He pondered while eyeing the array of candies on display.
Well, candies are fine.
“Sure, why not?”
I paid with some coins and bought two candies, handing one to my disciple.
“Here, go ahead.”
He stared at the candy I offered with wide eyes.
Then he broke into a big grin. “Thank you, Master!”
As he chewed on the candy, it felt like I was watching a commercial. It’s surprising, but whatever my disciple does looks like a movie or an ad. His face has cheat-code-level good looks.
Even his smile was enough to catch the attention of strolling ladies around us.
At this rate, we’d recreate the legendary tale of the man who filled a cart with fruits thrown by admirers, just like the handsome guy he is.
What an unfair world.
While I mused over this, I bit into my own candy.
It tasted far inferior to the highly developed snacks of the modern age, but it was passable.
As I sucked on the candy, I casually glanced around.
The reason I bought the candy wasn’t solely to please my disciple.
‘Ah, I knew there was a tail!’
I spotted a boy in tattered clothes who had been discreetly following me.
He was clearly a pickpocket.
I had already sensed someone trailing me, so I bought the candy to create an opportunity to look around. It turned out the candy was worth the effort.
‘If he’s a pickpocket, he must be connected to Hao Mun.’
The members of Hao Mun are a collection of bottom-dwellers like thieves, porters, and courtesans. Naturally, pickpockets belong to Hao Mun as well.
However, judging by his looks, he didn’t seem to have learned martial arts; he didn’t appear to be a formal member of Hao Mun.
He was likely just one of many pickpockets in this Hwajeong County area working under a gang whose leader is part of Hao Mun.
Observing his movements, it seemed he was keeping his distance while following me to monitor my activities.
His movements were cautious to a level that a normal martial artist wouldn’t notice. Plus, since he hadn’t trained in martial arts, he wouldn’t attract unnecessary attention. But I was a former intelligence agent.
Following me was a foolish action akin to writing in front of Confucius.
‘The fact that Hao Mun is watching us means…’
Jeoksawol is indeed keeping an eye on us, specifically on me.
With her obsessive nature, that’s not a good signal.
But I had already anticipated this.
Here, I needed to use Jeoksawol and Hao Mun to my advantage.
“Disciple,” I whispered discreetly into my disciple’s ear so the pickpocket wouldn’t overhear.
Whispering to a guy?
I wept internally. I had sworn whispers were only for sweet nothings to beautiful women.
But for the greater good, there was no choice.
If I had been at the top of my game, I would’ve used telepathy instead of this pointless whisper.
Damn it.
“We’re being followed. It appears to be someone from Hao Mun. I’ll subdue him and use the tail to find out Hao Mun’s intentions, so don’t be surprised.”
He nodded.
My disciple subtly acknowledged, and I naturally approached the pickpocket boy, utilizing the Defensive Technique to speedily close the distance.
The boy wore a calm yet tense expression, seemingly unfazed despite my approach.
I cleverly created a blind spot that blocked the view of the people in the market and swiftly grabbed the wrist of the pickpocket with lightning speed.
“How dare you attempt to steal from me! Did you think I wouldn’t recognize your skills? Who sent you?”
“Wha–?!” The pickpocket stammered, clearly flustered.
I continued my interrogation without giving him a moment to think.
“But I’m generous, so I won’t hold you accountable just yet. Surely, there’s someone who sent you. Take me to him. I’ll be sure to punish the despicable scoundrel who exploits a young boy like you and steals from innocent passersby with this very sword.”
Swish!
The sword at my waist glimmered as I drew it.
“Oh my goodness! What’s going on?!”
“A pickpocket? They stole my belongings?!”
“I can’t believe it, a disciple of Gongdong Sect? What’s going on now?”
I heard commotion rise among the onlookers.
It seemed my provocations and lies were taking effect.
After all, Hwajeong County, in modern terms, could be considered a tourist spot near Gongdong Mountain.
There’s no way pickpocketing would have a good reputation in a tourist area.
“…Quickly, guide me to that vile character’s lair. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.”
I tried to appear fearsome as I pressured him.
Sure, just enough to comply.
The boy’s face turned pale at my intimidating presence.
“…Y-Yes… Yes…”
Even though he had undergone some training, he was still just a junior pickpocket unable to withstand my onslaught.
“Disciple, let’s move.”
I finished the situation swiftly and instructed my disciple, who nodded with a serious look.
“Okay, I’ll follow.”
“Lead the way.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
I positioned the pickpocket in front and walked alongside my disciple.
Once we left the Marketplace, the destination the pickpocket boy led us to was the Underworld of Hwajeong County.
The disorganized shantytown and the lifeless expressions of the people were all too familiar sights.
My disciple and I followed the boy into the Underworld for quite some time. Thanks to our typical martial attire, no punks dared to bother us.
I kept poking the boy with the hilt of my sword.
“Hey.”
“W-Why did you call, great hero?”
“Stop spinning around aimlessly in the Underworld and take me where I need to go. I know you received orders to follow us. I’m well aware of the layout here.”
Knowing the terrain and establishing a map is the foundation of intelligence work.
Ever since I began following the pickpocket boy, I had memorized all the surrounding terrain, completing over half of Hwajeong County’s Underworld map in my mind.
The remaining part could be guessed at nearly 90% using the layout I had memorized so far.
Compared to the intel training I had in my previous life, this Underworld mapping was a joke.
“Creepy?!”
“Does this sound suspicious to you? How about a wager? If I free you, let’s see who gets to the Hao Mun branch here first?”
“N-No! I’ll guide you properly! Follow me!”
The boy just about jumped at my suggestion.
Eventually, he started leading us properly toward our destination, which turned out to be a row of Courtesan Houses.
The Red Pavilion that encouraged prostitution with red lanterns, and the Blue Pavilion that served alcohol, music, and dance while prohibiting prostitution, lined the street.
This Entertainment District, while still a fun spot, was smaller than those in a big city like Lanzhou.
It seemed the Hao Mun branch operated somewhere among the Courtesan Houses.
“Oh my, there’s a handsome hero! Would you like to take a break at our Courtesan House?”
“Come over here; you’ll be treated well at our event venue!”
As soon as they spotted my disciple, the hawkers swarmed around him like clouds.
The scent of perfume and laughter filled the air.
Some even wore revealing clothes and openly seduced with their charms.
Honestly, I wasn’t tempted at all.
It felt like a party of Flower and Willow—a mere street scene.
“M-Master…”
Was it the unfamiliar environment? My disciple, raised in the mountains, blushed at the sudden stimulation and clung to me.
This is why having good looks is exhausting.
I waved away the hawkers and courtesans who approached, glancing at my disciple’s otherworldly beauty.
“Our group has already made reservations at the event venue. Don’t you see our guide?”
Glance.
I pointed out the boy with my chin, and he awkwardly smiled.
“Tch.”
“We can treat you better!”
Finally, the hawkers dispersed.
Some courtesans glanced at my disciple with wistful expressions.
Though I had long lost interest in courtesans and the Red Pavilion, this was an incredibly unfair world.
Even in an Entertainment District, it was shocking how low the interest was.
Honestly, it was a shock.
Damn it! If I want to build my reputation in this martial world, I must stack my story up with my deeds.
Then I’ll be showered with attention from women like my disciple when I stroll through the Red District.
“…Thank you, Master.”
“I merely brushed them off. Now, guide us to the reserved Courtesan House.”
“Yes!”
We continued to receive the ladies’ stares as we arrived at the Courtesan House marked with a Blue Lantern.
I spotted the sign saying Gonhwa Pavilion.
Here it is.
The Hao Mun branch overseeing Hwajeong County.
In reality, the true branch of Hao Mun, meaning the main base, is in Lanzhou, but this place serves as a modern-style branch office. Either way, it’s important to note that there’s indeed a real Hao Mun member here.
To send a letter quickly and accurately without using my money, I needed the communication network of Hao Mun.
The boy trembled as he gripped the handle of the Courtesan House door.
Since it was still before operating hours, the Courtesan House was eerily quiet with the Blue Lantern unlit.
Inside, I spotted a middle-aged man dressed in silk.
He looked to be the manager of the Courtesan House.
Although he was pretending to be an ordinary person with no martial training, that’s not how my eyes saw him.
Having once been the head of the best intelligence agency in the Central Plains, I could easily see through such disguises.
There’s no way a disguise like that could fool me.
I was sure of it; he was the member of Hao Mun overseeing this branch in Hwajeong County.
“You’re not open yet?…”
“Right after descending from the main base, I caught a tail following me. So here’s the core.”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand…”
The manager remained in character as a naïve civilian.
Without speaking, I drew a coin from my possession, infused it with my energy, and tossed it toward his forehead.
Swish!
The coin flew straight for the manager’s forehead.
An ordinary person would have no chance to dodge this attack that could easily injure them.
Sweat dripped from the manager’s forehead as he managed to glide sideways.
Thud.
The coin I threw embedded itself into the wooden wall.
“W-What is this nonsense?!”
The manager feigned panic after dodging the coin, trembling as he reached into his pocket.
We all knew what he was going for.
It must be the must-have item for underworld punks: a blow dart gun that they fire off when cornered.
From here on out, I didn’t need to intervene.
“Disciple, did you see his movements? He knows martial arts. It’s him. This is the one who ordered our tailing. Perhaps Hao Mun received a request from Heukryongbang to cause us trouble. Can I ask you to subdue him?”
It was time to deploy my ace-in-the-hole, my disciple, a strategic nuclear weapon.
Nodding at my words, my disciple jumped into action right then and there.
In the moment his figure blurred…
Boom! KABOOM!
With a loud bang, the manager was sent crashing to the ground.
Roll, roll, roll.
The dart gun that the manager hadn’t even had time to fire fell to the floor and rolled around.
At that sight, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
I had anticipated strength, but this was unexpectedly powerful.