You Don’t Know (1)
After confirming that Samyeong had entered the brothel, I immediately set my plan into motion.
Jo Byeok had been startled and handed over a large sum of money a few days ago, so there would be no disturbances for a while.
This gave me precious time to devise a plan to eliminate them.
The most crucial element in getting rid of Samyeong and Jo Byeok was this: a scapegoat.
Who would take the fall for their deaths?
In truth, Samyeong wasn’t much of a concern. They were merely Jo Byeok’s henchmen, and no one would care if they died. The only person who might care would die with them.
The real problem was Jo Byeok.
If Jo Byeok died, Sima Qian would investigate who was responsible.
There needed to be someone to blame, someone villainous enough to take the fall. There was always the risk of Sima Qian seeking revenge.
Of course, the Sima Qian I knew wasn’t the type to seek vengeance. Would he shed a single tear if Jo Byeok died? I doubted it. To Sima Qian, Jo Byeok was just a disposable tool.
I requested a more detailed investigation into Jo Byeok from the Tianwanghui branch. I wanted more comprehensive information than before, focusing especially on his financial status.
Jo Byeok had handed over hundreds of nyang to Samyeong without hesitation. If this mission was canceled, that money couldn’t have come from Sima Qian.
So where did all that money come from?
Did he dig into his savings from the battlefield? Unlikely.
I demanded the information be delivered faster than usual, which tripled the cost. More than half of the ten thousand nyang I received from selling the leader’s writings went back to Tianwanghui. Money circulates as information does.
I didn’t mind the expense. I considered it the fare to send them to the afterlife.
Throughout this process, I wore my disguise mask. Except when visiting the Fengju Tavern or returning to the inn to sleep, I planned to wear the mask at all times.
Leaving the Tianwanghui branch, I felt the strong necessity of having my own intelligence network.
I couldn’t keep buying information forever. While Tianwanghui was reliable in maintaining client confidentiality, the world is full of unexpected variables.
To grow my family and pursue my goals, an intelligence network was essential.
Having closely observed Galsaryang running Jeonguigak, I knew how challenging it was.
Most intelligence networks are filled with spies. Of course, managers are needed to gather their information and issue orders. In Jeonguigak, the military officers played that role.
While Jeonguigak didn’t need its own armed support due to backing from other Wulin Alliance organizations, we would need our own. Someone had to rescue spies if they got into trouble in enemy territory.
Training spies is much harder than training warriors. Handling information requires strict confidentiality, demanding higher loyalty.
Moreover, establishing branches across the Central Plains would require enormous funds.
It was a daunting task.
“You’re late today?”
Baekpyo greeted me with his usual friendliness.
“I had a lot to take care of.”
“Being busy is good.”
“Is it? I prefer having nothing to do. I’d like to play all day.”
“Haha, that’s proof you’re still young.”
I laughed along with Baekpyo.
“So, I sent word home to bring someone over. It’s too lonely playing by myself.”
The person I called for was Gwangdu.
Before coming here, I stopped by Yangsobang’s contact point after leaving the Tianwanghui branch.
The contact point was where trained messengers and their overseers stayed, established to connect Yangsobang and our home in Shandong. Of course, to avoid attention, it wasn’t located within the household but outside.
I sent an urgent message to Jeongyeo, using the code we had agreed upon before. I asked for two things.
First, I requested two reliable and skilled spies.
Not just for this mission, but for future tasks, I needed spies who could act as my hands and feet.
Second, I asked to send word to our home in Shandong to bring Gwangdu and Gong Suchan here.
After eliminating the four targets, I needed to stay here a bit longer to observe the aftermath. I also wanted to hear about the family affairs and see Gwangdu, which is why I called him here.
I had a separate task for Gong Suchan.
I planned to establish a base here in Wuhan. Creating something related to the Byeok family swordsmanship would draw attention, so I intended to set up a small trading company. It would serve as both a business and a contact point.
Anywhere else might be different, but this was Wuhan, the headquarters of the Wulin Alliance. Such an investment was worthwhile.
Baekpyo joked.
“If more people come, I’ll make more money.”
“And I’ll have much more fun.”
“Hahaha.”
I laughed heartily with Baekpyo.
Yes, even with all the challenges, I would handle them one by one with a smile.
At the same time, Ma Cheolgun entered the leader’s hall.
He was the fifth son of Ma Bonggi and was currently serving as the interim head of Cheondo Gate.
With his tall stature and handsome face, he exuded the noble aura befitting the heir of a prestigious family, making it hard to believe he was in his forties.
Ma Bonggi watched from his seat as Ma Cheolgun approached.
Ma Cheolgun stopped about ten steps away from the dais. A bit far for a father and son meeting after a long time.
“Have you been well?”
“You’re here?”
“You look well.”
“You look well too.”
“How does it feel to be at the top?”
“There’s just more work.”
The conversation flowed naturally, but there was a hint of formality.
“I handled Jeongsoo’s funeral.”
That was the purpose of Ma Cheolgun’s visit to Ma Bonggi. Though they were half-brothers, they were still family.
“Well done.”
“I informed the other siblings, but… none of them came.”
Ma Bonggi nodded silently.
“I heard that the Yasan and Shandong Trading Company are linked to Jeongsoo’s death. Shouldn’t we send someone? If we leave it be, everyone will look down on us.”
“I’ve already sent someone.”
“Who did you send?”
Ma Bonggi didn’t answer, as if to say it was none of his business.
“You must be tired from the long journey. Rest.”
Ma Cheolgun didn’t press further.
“Yes, I’ll take my leave.”
As Ma Cheolgun was about to turn away after a polite bow, Ma Bonggi called out to him.
“Gun-ah.”
“Yes.”
Ma Bonggi seemed to want to say something but swallowed his words.
“When do you plan to return?”
“Since I’m here, I plan to meet some people and take care of a few things before I go.”
“Understood.”
Ma Cheolgun bowed again and left.
Ma Bonggi watched his retreating figure with a complex expression.
Sima Qian entered the room.
Though he lacked the wisdom befitting a chief strategist, he had an uncanny knack for reading people. Especially Ma Bonggi’s mood, which he could gauge just from his breathing.
“Shall we have a drink at the palace?”
“Let’s.”
Ma Bonggi rose from his seat.
The two entered a secret passage behind the dais, accessible only to the leader of the Wulin Alliance.
Descending the spiral staircase, they reached a large underground room.
It was once Tianhaejin’s secret training ground, but it had been remodeled.
Luminous pearls were embedded throughout, and the room was decorated with luxurious furniture and ornaments. The central bed was large enough for ten people, adorned with floral bedding.
This was Ma Bonggi’s private retreat.
Sima Qian had created this space. From a young age, he had brought all sorts of women to Ma Bonggi. After becoming the chief strategist, the first thing Sima Qian did was create this place.
A feast was quickly set.
“That boy disrespects me. He’s been like that since he was young.”
“That can’t be true.”
“Ungrateful brat.”
Though Sima Qian was adept at appeasing Ma Bonggi, he didn’t join in the insults. He knew that despite the harsh words, Ma Cheolgun was Ma Bonggi’s favorite son.
It was because he cared so much that misunderstandings and conflicts arose. From an objective standpoint, most of their disputes were over trivial matters.
In truth, if Sima Qian had actively intervened to clear up misunderstandings and soothe their hearts, the distance between them wouldn’t have grown so wide.
But Sima Qian didn’t. The lonelier Ma Bonggi was, the more he needed Sima Qian.
The door opened, and three slender beauties entered.
“At times like this, it’s best to clear your mind and enjoy.”
“You, you. Come here!”
Ma Bonggi beckoned the women to sit on either side of him.
With a satisfied smile, Ma Bonggi sat with a woman on each side, while Sima Qian took the remaining woman beside him.
Content with just one wing, Sima Qian raised his glass with a satisfied grin.
Meanwhile, outside the leader’s hall, two people awaited Ma Cheolgun.
One was Mr. No, who served as Ma Cheolgun’s strategist. He had been with Ma Cheolgun for a long time and was someone Ma Cheolgun trusted deeply.
The other man was sent by Ma Bonggi.
While Chilho had been sent to Ma Jeongsoo, this man was Samho. Ma Cheolgun’s bodyguards waited outside the leader’s hall, but Samho had been allowed to accompany him inside.
“Did you tell him?”
Mr. No asked cautiously, and Ma Cheolgun shook his head.
“I didn’t.”
“You must tell him before you leave.”
Ma Cheolgun nodded.
Though the moonlight was bright, his expression was deeply troubled.
Before going to bed, I climbed the hill behind the inn to train.
I started with physical conditioning. It was always important, but now it was even more so.
The art of Seonhak required the use of the entire body, making foundational physical strength crucial.
I hadn’t yet grasped the profound martial principles embedded in Seonhak. I was merely imitating its form.
Even so, the power it wielded was anything but ordinary.
After a vigorous session of full-body movement, I felt invigorated. The novelty of the new martial art was refreshing, and the change brought a surge of vitality.
Of course, that didn’t mean I had any desire to replace my unique martial arts with Seonhak.
My ultimate goal remained the same: to achieve the state of the Heart Sword.
There were two reasons I practiced Seonhak. The first was practical.
While it was rare for me to be without my sword, there might come a time when I’d have to fight barehanded. In such a moment, Seonhak could very well save my life.
The second reason was the main motivation for learning it.
It stemmed from an insight I gained during a conversation with Chilho.
That day, Chilho had said that the greatest martial artist wouldn’t be bound by formality. It was in response to my comment about the incompatibility of swordsmanship and martial arts.
That’s when I realized I had unknowingly been shackled by something. I was like a river that couldn’t flow into the sea, stagnant and confined. I might have been mistaking the river for the sea all along.
I thought, like martial arts, this grappling technique was incompatible with swordsmanship.
In fact, using the entire body as a weapon seemed even more so. It would require building unnecessary muscles all over, which would slow down my movements, unlike the sleek muscles needed for swordsmanship.
But I wanted to prove her point—that the greatest wouldn’t be constrained by such things.
I sensed that the process of merging these two martial arts could aid me in reaching the state of the Heart Sword.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
My fists sliced through the air, and my elbow struck an imaginary opponent. If it had been real, their jaw would have shattered.
Rolling on the ground, leaping up, charging with my knee, then spinning to kick—Seonhak was truly liberating.
The next day, I stopped by the Cheonmang Society branch to gather information on Jo Byeok.
I had already learned from previous investigations that he had been involved in various incidents since his days as a wanderer.
In trying to find someone to pin the blame on, I discovered something astonishing. Everyone connected to him in those incidents was already dead.
Some died in accidents months or years later, some under mysterious circumstances, and some by suicide. Every single one of them was gone.
I realized he had unleashed the Samyeong to eliminate them all, erasing any past that could harm him.
He was a devilish man.
I also uncovered new information in the financial aspect, which I had asked them to focus on.
His spending was extravagant. For instance, even when drinking at a gisaeng house, he chose the most luxurious one and drank with the most renowned courtesan.
Such expenses were beyond what someone of Sima Qian’s right-hand status could afford.
There had to be a source of money somewhere.
If I could find it, I might be able to resolve this matter cleanly.
Money always weaves a compelling story.
As I left the branch and walked through the marketplace, a cold wind blew from somewhere. I could feel the transition from autumn to winter.
“It’s going to get cold soon.”
I wanted to live as a king, but this world kept turning me into a warrior.