The King of the Underworld (3)
The next day, I received information from the Tianwanghui’s Wuhanzhi branch about the man who had been guarding Sima Qian.
His name was Jo Byeok.
Originally a skilled ronin, he had caught Sima Qian’s eye and had been his right-hand man for many years.
He had been involved in various illegal activities, including assassinations, but each time he managed to escape charges thanks to the protection of the Tiandao Sect.
This clearly indicated a long-standing close relationship between Sima Qian and the Tiandao Sect.
Among the various bits of information, one particularly caught my attention.
There were three swordsmen who had followed Jo Byeok since his days as a ronin, so closely that they were called the “Three Shadows.”
If Jo Byeok intended to handle this matter, he would undoubtedly call upon them.
I requested the Tianwanghui to investigate the Three Shadows. I didn’t need details about their skills or past, just their current whereabouts and movements.
I asked for the information as quickly as possible. If I wanted it sooner than the agreed time, I would have to pay double.
But I spared no expense. This was related to Baek Pyo, and I wouldn’t hesitate to spend all my money on it.
This matter needed to be handled with utmost care.
Sima Qian was at the heart of the Martial Alliance. Getting entangled with them prematurely was not an option.
Baek Pyo greeted me warmly again today.
“You’re back?”
“Didn’t I promise to make you rich?”
“Haha. I might have to open a branch in the marketplace.”
I felt the need to grow closer to Baek Pyo, both for this matter and for the future.
I revealed my true identity to him. I was the heir of the Byeok family sword clan from Shandong, traveling the martial world to broaden my horizons.
I might take him to Shandong someday, so it was a strategic move for the future. Trust is the most important aspect of any relationship. If you start with deceit, no explanation can erase the unease.
This was not only about keeping him safe but also a crucial opportunity for Byeok Lidan to build a rapport with him.
“You’re at a great age, Byeok Gongja.”
Baek Pyo seemed envious of my youth.
“Aren’t you still young yourself, innkeeper?”
“Haha, my youth ended long ago.”
“I believe it’s the heart that matters more than age.”
“Is that so?”
“I feel like I’m just a young man babbling about age.”
“Not at all. You have a maturity beyond your years, Byeok Gongja.”
“So, you’re saying I look old.”
Baek Pyo waved his hands in embarrassment.
“That’s not what I meant. There’s something unique about you, Byeok Gongja.”
Of course, there is. If only you knew how I truly feel about you, Baek Pyo! I restrained myself from running over and embracing him.
“Is that a compliment?”
“Of course.”
“Well then, let’s have a drink to celebrate. Bring out the wine!”
In the evening, several guests arrived. I carefully observed them to ensure there were no dangerous individuals, but they all seemed like ordinary patrons.
I drank late into the night and returned to the inn.
The next day, I received information about the Three Shadows from the Tianwanghui.
They were on their way to Wuhan.
This confirmed my suspicions. The fact that they were suddenly coming to Wuhan from other regions meant Jo Byeok was handling this matter.
The Three Shadows had even worse reputations than Jo Byeok. Naturally, they were the ones who did the dirty work.
I was filled with anger towards Sima Qian and Jo Byeok.
How dare they bring in such scum to handle this?
But I quickly calmed myself.
The martial world was full of filth. What mattered now was not anger, but a clean resolution for Baek Pyo.
The estimated time for their arrival in Wuhan was five days. It was both a long and short time, but I had to resolve this issue within that period.
If I failed and they arrived, I would have to eliminate them all. While that wouldn’t be difficult, the problem was that Baek Pyo might end up taking the blame.
After leaving the Tianwanghui branch, I walked through the marketplace, lost in thought.
In my past life, walking like this often helped me find solutions to my problems.
How I wished Galsaryang were here!
I recalled a conversation we once had.
“How are you so clever?”
“You’re too kind.”
“No need to be so modest.”
“The more complex and difficult a problem, the simpler the solution often is.”
“Do you know? Such words only tease people like us. What seems simple to you is invisible to us.”
If the solution to this problem was simple too?
The issue was that Sima Qian wanted the King of the Underworld Sword. He suspected Baek Pyo had it, and indeed, Baek Pyo did.
The solution was to make it known that Baek Pyo didn’t have the sword.
How?
That wasn’t the only problem. Even if I managed to get through this situation, Sima Qian would suspect Galsaryang again. The King of the Underworld Sword was too valuable to simply give up on.
Then, a thought crossed my mind.
What if I made them believe the King of the Underworld Sword was lost? What if it was known that I, the former leader, had destroyed it before my death?
I stood on the street, deep in thought for a long time.
How long had I been standing there?
I began to move again, my steps now filled with purpose.
Ban Seojung, the leader of the Tianwanghui, silently stared at the tea in front of her.
She was sitting in a small room, the same place where Byeok Lidan had come looking for Galsaryang.
“Is something troubling you?”
An old woman approached her, wearing an apron. She was Bing Nodae, Ban Seojung’s bodyguard and an elder of the Tianwanghui.
Bing Nodae had cared for Ban Seojung since she was young, so their relationship was more like that of grandmother and granddaughter than leader and elder. She could tell what Ban Seojung was thinking just by looking at her expression.
“I received a message from the Martial Alliance.”
“Ma Bonggi? What does that wretched old man want?”
Bing Nodae knew Ma Bonggi well and despised him for the scandals that surrounded him in his youth.
“It wasn’t Ma Bonggi, but Sima Qian who contacted me. It seems he also reached out to Guiangok and Mantonghui.”
“Is he trying to tame them one by one?”
“It seems so.”
“Those scoundrels, the leader and the strategist, are all the same. I’m truly worried about the future of the martial world!”
Bing Nodae clicked her tongue in disapproval.
The Tianwanghui, along with Guiangok and Mantonghui, was one of the three major intelligence organizations in the martial world. In other words, it was one of the most powerful organizations holding the information of the martial world.
During the era of Cheonhajin, such unilateral summons to the Martial Alliance were unheard of.
Through a long-standing relationship with Jeonguigak, they naturally met with the chief strategist. The process was very courteous and respectful.
In comparison, this unilateral summons was nothing short of rude.
A hint of longing flickered in Ban Seojung’s eyes as she looked at the half-filled teacup.
“Have you heard any news about him?”
Ban Seojung looked up, feigning ignorance about whom Bing Nodae was referring to. But she knew exactly who Bing Nodae meant and felt slightly flustered.
Bing Nodae pretended not to notice.
“The former chief strategist.”
“I heard he was demoted to a regular strategist.”
She spoke as if that was all she knew, but she was aware of much more. She knew he was being harassed by Sima Qian and that Sima Qian was searching for the King of the Underworld Sword. She was keenly attuned to anything related to Jeonguigak.
“He’ll endure. He’s always been strong.”
She had sensed Galsaryang’s affection for her for a long time. She didn’t dislike it.
But Galsaryang had never expressed his feelings. If he had confessed, would things be different now? She thought perhaps they might be.
Bing Nodae had noticed the mutual affection between the two.
‘These frustrating people!’
But she couldn’t meddle in the love affairs of grown adults.
Just then, a subordinate entered, disguised as a customer.
The subordinate ordered tea and spoke quietly.
“You need to go to the branch immediately.”
After waiting for about an hour at the Tianwanghui’s Wuhanzhi branch, a new person appeared behind the hanging curtain.
I knew who it was.
It would be the leader of the Tianwanghui, her.
“I hear you have some very valuable information to sell?”
The calm voice from behind was altered, but I recognized it as the voice of the Tianwanghui’s leader.
However, she didn’t recognize me. I was wearing a new disguise and had altered my voice.
“Indeed.”
While intelligence organizations primarily sold information, they also bought it. But only when it was significant and crucial.
“You claim it’s a writing left by the former leader?”
“Yes. It’s a document that has never been made public.”
That was why she had come in person.
I took out a piece of paper.
“It’s a writing left by the former leader, Cheonhajin.”
“How can you prove it’s Cheonhajin’s?”
“You should be able to recognize the handwriting.”
“Can you show it to us for verification?”
“Of course.”
An elderly man entered the room.
I folded the paper to reveal only the first few lines.
The old man used a magnifying glass to compare the handwriting with a letter he had brought.
After a thorough examination, he nodded towards the curtain. It was indeed Cheonhajin’s handwriting.
Naturally, it was. I had written it myself, taking care to use paper and ink that made it look aged.
“I need to see it myself to determine its value. Is that acceptable?”
“Very well. I trust the reputation of the Tianwanghui. Surely, the Tianwanghui wouldn’t steal a client’s information.”
“There’s no need to worry.”
I handed the paper to the old man, who took it and slipped it behind the curtain.
I could sense the woman behind the curtain was taken aback.
The paper contained a few stories about martial arts. Nothing too significant, just a brief mention of the secret Suramyeongwang Sword technique, something only I would know, to confirm the writing was mine.
The crucial part was this:
…I have not yet reached the state of mind-sword unity, my life’s goal. Now, I intend to destroy my unique weapon and lifelong companion, the Suramyeongwang Sword, to challenge myself anew in reaching that state. I only hope this endeavor bears fruit.
The reason I leave these words is that today marks a turning point in my martial arts journey…
I had written about the destruction of the Suramyeongwang Sword.
I knew Galsaryang had feelings for her. That’s why I visited the establishment she ran last time.
I hoped for more than just a simple exchange of emotions. If that were the case, she would also know that Galsaryang was under suspicion because of the Suramyeongwang Sword.
The leader of the Cheonmang Society would surely be aware of such information, especially if it concerned someone of interest.
If so, this information could save Galsaryang from danger.
What if she passed this information to Sima Qian?
The Cheonmang leader would handle how and where this information was discovered. Once it reached them, it became their information.
Even if she didn’t act as I hoped, it didn’t matter.
I planned to wait a day or two and then personally leak the information to Sima Qian. Once the information about the sword reached the Cheonmang Society, Sima Qian would personally investigate.
“How much will you pay for this information?”
The answer came quickly, as if there was a set price.
“I’ll buy it for ten thousand nyang.”
She didn’t ask where I got it. It was an unspoken rule among those who traded in information.
Honestly, I didn’t want to take her money. It was something I needed to do, even if I had to pay for it. But I couldn’t afford to raise any suspicions here.
“Fifteen thousand nyang.”
“The information is worth ten thousand.”
I tried several times to raise the price, but each attempt was rejected.
In the end, I relented with a resigned expression.
“Fine. I’ll sell it for ten thousand.”
“Thank you for your concession.”
A moment later, a man came and handed me the money. Like the shadowy deals of the underworld, this transaction was conducted with untraceable small-denomination notes.
The woman behind the curtain had vanished without a trace.
I didn’t know what she would do next. I only hoped the information would reach Sima Qian.
From Sima Qian’s perspective, receiving this information at this time might raise suspicions.
But since the writing was undeniably from the leader, he would have to accept that the Suramyeongwang Sword no longer existed.
If that happened, Sima Qian would abandon the search for the sword, and Baekpyo would no longer be troubled by this matter.
There might be unforeseen flaws, and the outcome was uncertain, but it was the best plan I could devise. I could only hope for luck to be on my side.
Even if the net of heaven is vast and loose, I pray that nothing slips through.