Silent Exit (3)
Upon arriving in Jinan, we went straight to finalize the contract.
The man in charge of the construction was Du Jong, a well-known builder in Jinan.
“I never expected Master Ma to come in person.”
Though he was used to dealing with tough laborers, he was visibly tense at this moment. He feared we might be here for revenge over the broken contract.
“Rumors spread when I don’t show up myself.”
Du Jong stammered, flustered.
“My apologies. The workers on site live day-to-day. If things don’t proceed as scheduled…”
Ma Jung-soo raised a hand to stop him.
“I’m not here for excuses.”
The cold remark silenced Du Jong. Given the circumstances and the previous contract breach, he was understandably cautious.
Ma Jung-soo placed a voucher on the table.
“Here’s the deposit, twenty thousand nyang. It’s ten thousand more than the original amount, so focus on the construction and ignore the rumors.”
“But right now…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. Ma Jung-soo’s glare was enough to silence him. Du Jong sighed and relented.
“Understood. I’ll do my best.”
He realized he had no choice but to delay other ongoing projects, even if it meant a loss. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he had no other option.
“Hahaha. Wise decision.”
“Let’s start with the contract.”
Du Jong called for someone to bring the contract.
“Please wait a moment.”
He stepped out briefly, likely to deposit the voucher at a nearby bank. Twenty thousand nyang was a significant sum, a fifth of the total construction cost.
Ma Jung-soo stamped and signed the contract, looking much more pleased than when he had reluctantly signed at the previous meeting.
Du Jong returned shortly, his expression grim.
“You’re back?”
He spoke cautiously to Ma Jung-soo.
“There seems to be a mistake.”
“What do you mean?”
“The voucher you provided… it’s fake.”
“What?”
Ma Jung-soo was taken aback. I feigned surprise and shouted.
“That’s impossible!”
Du Jong looked between us, hesitantly asking.
“Are you truly unaware of this?”
I spoke loudly.
“Do you think someone of his stature would use a fake voucher? And for something that would be discovered so quickly? This would tarnish the reputation of Cheondo Gate.”
Du Jong seemed relieved. He had feared we might be causing trouble with a fake voucher out of anger over the broken contract.
“I thought so too. Let’s go verify it together.”
We followed Du Jong.
At a nearby bank, it was confirmed that the voucher was fake.
Except for two thousand nyang, the remaining eighteen thousand was counterfeit. Only the two thousand nyang on top was real, likely to avoid immediate suspicion.
Ma Jung-soo accused Du Jong.
“You switched it, didn’t you?”
“No, absolutely not!”
Du Jong pleaded, prostrating himself.
I spoke to Ma Jung-soo.
“How could he have prepared a fake voucher in advance?”
Suspicion turned towards me.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you suspecting me?”
I met his gaze with a look of innocence.
Eventually, Ma Jung-soo dismissed his doubts. My demeanor was too confident, and it made no sense for me to have switched the vouchers and then accompanied him to Jinan.
“Could it be those bastards at the previous meeting gave us a fake?”
“Most likely.”
“Something that would be discovered so quickly? Did they dare to scam me?”
“It wasn’t just them. Didn’t you say other successors were trying to hinder you?”
“Ah! That’s right. They’re mocking me to the end!”
Ma Jung-soo believed the one who killed Sigon had conspired with the previous group.
“Argh!”
He couldn’t contain his rage and shouted.
Fearing he might harm Du Jong’s family, I spoke to him.
“If this isn’t handled properly, you might end up owing a hundred thousand nyang.”
“What?”
“You stamped and signed the loan document, didn’t you? You should return immediately and check the remaining vouchers. If there’s any mistake, it needs to be corrected.”
We hurried back to Yangso Bang.
We took the remaining vouchers from the safe to the bank, but they were all fake.
Once again, Ma Jung-soo smashed the desk in a fit of rage.
“I’ll never forgive them. I won’t leave a single one of those bastards alive in Shandong!”
“Of course, you must.”
“I’ll call everyone who can help me. Forget about the successor test!”
At the heart of his anger was the feeling of being disrespected.
I wanted to tell him.
This is karma. You’ve disrespected others far more, and now it’s coming back to you.
Of course, even if I said it, he wouldn’t understand.
“Bring me the liquor! Liquor!”
I brought him the liquor. Lots of it.
“Where’s that wretched woman? Where is she?”
“I haven’t seen her today.”
“Hmph! That rat! She’s hiding like a ghost.”
Ma Jung-soo drank straight from the bottle.
I used the excuse of fetching snacks to step outside.
She was in the hallway. I had seen her earlier when I went to get the liquor.
“Why didn’t you tell him I was here?”
“Well… as you can see, Master Ma isn’t in a good state.”
Gratitude flickered in her eyes.
There was no need for thanks. Considering the insight she had given me on the way to Jinan, this was hardly a repayment.
And that night.
Drunk, Ma Jung-soo was wandering somewhere.
He was heading to the Song family estate. As the alcohol took effect, he thought of Song Hwa-rin and felt a desire to violate her.
Once the desire took hold, it only grew. Her beautiful image wouldn’t leave his mind, and the blood rushed to his lower body.
He decided to go through with it.
He couldn’t withstand the anger and pressure that had built up recently.
He was driven by a sense of fatalism. It was clear he would fail the successor selection. If he didn’t become the successor, he would either be killed by the new successor or live a more miserable life.
He made a decision he shouldn’t have. But he had a plan. Even as a descendant of Cheondo Gate, he couldn’t handle the aftermath of violating the daughter of the Song family head.
He planned to wear a mask and sneak in to assault her. He intended to use the aphrodisiac he always carried. It was a powder that could be sprinkled while she slept.
He justified his vile decision.
“That damned woman! I told her she’d regret it!”
He used the grudge he held from her words on the way to Jinan as an excuse.
“Arrogant woman! Let’s see how you react under the influence!”
His steps quickened.
Then someone blocked his path.
“Who are you?”
Ma Jung-soo didn’t recognize the figure.
Of course, he wouldn’t.
I was waiting with a new mask on.
I spoke coldly to him.
“There are things in this world you shouldn’t touch.”
I meant my father, Song Hwa-rin, the martial world of Shandong, and Du Jong, whom he had forced into a contract. I meant everyone he had trampled on.
But he needed to understand this.
“No one survives after touching the money of the previous group.”
The woman was watching from somewhere.
“You bastard! Not only did you give me a fake voucher, but you also come to find me? You’re in for it!”
Ma Jung-soo drew his sword, exuding killing intent. He was indeed skilled. It was impressive that a twenty-five-year-old, drunk and lust-driven, could emit such a presence.
It was a testament to the strength of the Five Greats of the Central Plains.
But it wasn’t enough to face me.
I could have ended it quickly, but I was aware of the eyes watching.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The fierce battle continued.
I didn’t use the Soul-Devouring Sword Technique or the White Moon Sword Technique. I faced him without using any techniques. I mimicked the swordsmanship used by assassins I had faced in my past life.
It was a style devoid of any flair, meant solely to kill the opponent.
In an instant, over fifty moves passed.
Just when I thought it was enough, I put real power and speed into my sword.
The two swords crossed.
Ma Jung-soo’s sword struck empty air, but mine pierced his chest.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
He stared wide-eyed at the sword impaling his chest. The pain was secondary. He was engulfed in fear. He had only ever stabbed others, never been stabbed himself.
”…What is this?”
I twisted the sword mercilessly.
“Aaaargh!”
Ma Jung-soo screamed in agony.
“It hurts! Please! Stop!”
Tears streamed from his eyes. They weren’t tears of repentance, but of pain and fear. Tears of injustice.
“Please… I don’t want to die like this.”
You don’t need to feel wronged. This is the price you must pay.
You might want to say that.
How hard it was to be born as a descendant of Cheondo Gate. That you became a monster to survive.
But so what? Not everyone becomes a monster because of their circumstances. It’s just an excuse. Blaming the environment for one’s evil deeds.
Swoosh.
I swiftly withdrew my sword and thrust it into his neck.
Thud!
Ma Jung-soo spewed blood from his throat.
Swoosh.
Thud!
Swoosh.
Thud!
I swiftly drew my sword and struck multiple times. He was already dead by the second blow, but I continued to stab him repeatedly. That was the way of the night.
Ma Jeong-su fell to the ground like a bundle of straw, and soon a pool of blood formed around him.
As I retrieved my sword and turned away, I saw her watching me from a distant tree.
Her gaze was cold, her presence sharp.
She was undoubtedly strong. Perhaps even stronger than Sigon. Yet, she didn’t attack me. If she had intended to, she would have intervened during my fight with Ma Jeong-su.
I looked at her and issued a cold warning.
“Touch us, and you will surely die.”
With those words, I left the scene.
She didn’t follow me.
As I expected, she was a thorough observer. And I saw it—the faint smile on her lips as she picked up Ma Jeong-su’s body.
I returned to my room, changed clothes, and donned my usual disguise.
I had a feeling she might come to find me before leaving.
Sure enough, about an hour later, she did.
Tap.
A small pebble hit my window.
When I opened it, she was standing in the yard. The body was likely left somewhere outside the wall.
Was it because we were about to part ways? Or was there something else on her mind?
She looked at me with a somewhat complicated expression.
I wondered if I might be the first person she ever had a personal conversation with.
She didn’t mention leaving or Ma Jeong-su’s death.
Instead, she spoke softly.
“My name is… Number Seven.”
It was a moment that revealed she was a secret weapon of some organization.
For her to say her name was Number Seven couldn’t have been easy. Especially for a woman. But perhaps she knew no other name.
A wave of emotion surged within me, but I kept it hidden and smiled brightly.
“It’s a good name.”
Her name was Number Seven, and her identity was a mystery. My name, Galpyo, was fake, and so was this face. Everything was uncertain, but meeting her was more memorable and intense than anything before.
Her lips moved as if to speak, but she gave up and turned away without a word of farewell.
“Wait.”
She stopped in her tracks.
“Why were you looking at the pond?”
She turned back to me and asked.
“I heard that lotuses bloom from the mud. Is that true?”
What she had been gazing at wasn’t the koi or the moon reflected in the pond, but the lotus flowers.
“So I’ve heard.”
“Is that so.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips. It was the most pleasant and relaxed expression I’d ever seen on her.
With that, she vanished into the darkness.
Would I ever see her again?
It was impossible to know.
Even if I never saw her again, I would never forget the name Number Seven.
I stood there for a moment, gazing up at the autumn moon that filled the night sky.
From afar, Jeong-yeo stood at the entrance of the annex, bowing respectfully to me.
I smiled at him.
Thank you for your hard work, Jeong Bang-ju.
With this, the storm that began with Ma Jeong-su’s arrival had come to an end.
I knew that Ma Jeong-su was just a drizzle compared to the real storm that was yet to come.
I must become stronger.
For I would face even tougher and more ruthless foes in the future.