One Strike, One Kill (2)
Back at the inn, I sank into a hot bath. The steam rose around me, and I felt the fatigue melt away.
Suddenly, the image of Chil-ho from earlier flashed in my mind. Her expression was as indifferent as ever, her eyes cold and unfeeling. It was as if she hadn’t changed at all since we last met.
I recalled her parting words: “They say a lotus blooms from the mud. Is that really true?”
When I had answered yes, the smile she gave me lingered in my memory.
What brought her to Mu Han this time? Given that she was watching Yeom-hwa, it was undoubtedly related to him. Was she here to keep an eye on him, like during the Ma Jeong-su incident? It didn’t seem that way. Her gaze towards Yeom-hwa was different now.
After my bath, I was having dinner when Jin came to report.
“Yeom-hwa told the leader that all the disciples from the Ho Yeon-se family who attended the negotiation should be killed. The rumor is spreading like wildfire within the alliance.”
“He’s insane.”
“Indeed.”
The fact that this rumor is spreading is a problem in itself. It implies that Ma Bong-gi, the leader, is tacitly approving Yeom-hwa’s claims. Otherwise, such a rumor would never have leaked.
“Ma Bong-gi trusts him.”
“He’s handled all sorts of tasks since the Cheon Do-mun days.”
No wonder they call him the Butcher.
“Be careful when watching him. A third organization is also monitoring him. I don’t know who they are, but they’re formidable.”
“What do you mean by formidable?”
“At least as powerful as the Martial Alliance, if not more.”
Jin was visibly shocked.
I nodded to emphasize the truth of my words. “Be cautious.”
“I will. I’ll keep a safe distance while observing.”
“And find out about the movements of Mae-rang and Ho Yeon-sook-jeong, who visited the Martial Alliance. Report back to me.”
“Understood.”
With a respectful bow, Jin left.
Half my meal remained, but I set my chopsticks down.
Mae-rang’s image came to mind. I couldn’t just ignore her as a stranger. The memory of the little girl who used to run into the house calling me ‘brother’ was too vivid.
The next day, Yeom-hwa took his usual seat at the center of Mu Han’s most prestigious inn. Naturally, there were no other guests. The innkeeper, whose business was suffering, wore a long face but dared not complain.
A crowd gathered outside the inn. The rumor of Yeom-hwa throwing money around had drawn even more people. Of course, many criticized him behind his back, saying he was buying people’s favor with money. Some even refused to come near the inn.
Yet, the reality was that more people gathered than the day before.
Yeom-hwa, who usually enjoyed the attention of the masses, was in a foul mood. Ever since being ambushed by Ho Yeon-nam, his temper had been sour.
He should have easily defeated someone like Ho Yeon-nam, even if caught off guard. But he had nearly died, and that wounded his pride deeply.
“Damn it!”
Unless he gouged out the eyes of those Ho Yeon-se family members who saw him get stabbed, his anger wouldn’t subside.
He knew it wouldn’t be easy. But he had to show the world he wasn’t someone to be trifled with. In this world, if you appeared weak, everyone would try to climb over you.
As Yeom-hwa drank, he noticed Il-woo’s empty seat.
“Il-woo is missing.”
At Yeom-hwa’s question, Lee-woo replied cautiously, “He hasn’t been seen since he left yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
Yeom-hwa looked puzzled. Il-woo had never stayed out without contact before.
“Where did he go?”
“He left without saying.”
“Fool!”
Yeom-hwa’s sudden outburst made the three men flinch and lower their heads.
Before he could unleash his wrath, Lee-woo quickly spoke up. “Could it be because of that old woman yesterday?”
“The one claiming to be Ho Yeon-tak’s grandmother?”
“Yes, he left right after that incident and hasn’t returned.”
“Do you know their whereabouts?”
“Of course. I had someone follow them, suspecting they might cause trouble.”
“And?”
“They tried to meet the leader but were denied entry.”
“The leader?”
Yeom-hwa’s face twisted in anger.
“That old hag.”
The memory of Mae-rang shouting at the heavens, unafraid, infuriated him. He had let it slide because of the onlookers, but this was the result.
“Il-woo went to meet her and hasn’t returned?”
“It’s possible, but not certain.”
“Bring them here.”
“Yes!”
Sa-woo quickly ran outside.
Not only did he need to deal with Il-woo’s situation, but he also had to scare them into giving up on meeting the leader. The rumors surrounding Ho Yeon-tak’s death were of no benefit to him.
Yeom-hwa slammed his empty cup down in frustration.
“Luck’s been rotten lately.”
“Grandmother, please get up and eat.”
At Ho Yeon-sook-jeong’s urging, Mae-rang turned her back on the bed.
“I’m not hungry. You eat.”
“You mustn’t skip meals. You need your strength.”
The two had gone to the Martial Alliance yesterday, pleading with the gatekeeper to meet the leader.
But they were denied. Even after begging, saying they had an injustice to report, they couldn’t meet anyone. Given the gravity of the situation, one would expect someone other than the gatekeeper to come out, but they met no one else.
They were told they could leave a record and go through formal procedures, which would take a month or two.
“Grandmother, you need to eat and regain your strength. We have to try again.”
Mae-rang remained motionless, her back still turned.
Ho Yeon-sook-jeong resorted to her last tactic, one that always worked with her grandmother.
“Then I’ll skip meals too.”
Sure enough, Mae-rang slowly sat up.
“You stubborn girl.”
As she turned and got off the bed, tears stained her eyes.
Ho Yeon-sook-jeong knew better than anyone how her grandmother had raised her and her brother.
Though they were of the Ho Yeon-se bloodline, they were from a poor, powerless branch. Their parents had died young, and what little they had was lost.
Afterward, their grandmother had done all sorts of hard work to raise them.
When Ho Yeon-tak was recognized for his talent and became Ho Yeon-nam’s disciple, her grandmother’s joy was unforgettable.
“Grandmother.”
Ho Yeon-sook-jeong was deeply worried about Mae-rang’s health.
The two descended to the inn’s first floor.
As they were about to order food, they noticed someone.
“Oh? Isn’t that the gentleman from yesterday?”
They greeted me as if by chance, but I had come here specifically to see them. Jin had informed me they were staying here and had been denied a meeting with the leader.
“Lady Mae and Miss Ho Yeon, why don’t you join me for a meal?”
Ho Yeon-sook-jeong looked at Mae-rang, who nodded.
“Since you helped us yesterday, let this old woman buy you a drink.”
“Thank you.”
They joined me at my table.
Mae-rang, perhaps feeling stifled, drank her wine in quick succession.
“Grandmother, take it slow.”
“I’m so frustrated I could burst.”
Feigning ignorance, I asked, “May I ask what troubles you?”
Having helped them the day before, they had no reservations about me. In fact, they seemed relieved to have someone to confide in.
Mae-rang shared her story, from growing up in a village and falling in love with a member of the Ho Yeon-se family, to being ignored when they claimed her grandson’s death wasn’t a suicide.
When Mae-rang finished, Ho Yeon-sook-jeong, her eyes moist, spoke to me.
“My brother would never take his own life.”
Mae-rang, her face flushed from the drink, agreed.
“Of course not.”
Ho Yeon-tak must have been talented and strong-willed. That’s why he became Ho Yeon-nam’s disciple.
“Why did you come here?”
“We came to prove to the leader that my brother’s death wasn’t a suicide. My brother was…”
Ho Yeon-sook-jeong couldn’t finish. If he had been killed in a conspiracy, the culprit was likely within the Ho Yeon-se family. The thought alone was terrifying.
“Don’t worry. If they refuse to see us, I’ll lie down at the Martial Alliance’s gate.”
Mae-rang was serious.
I looked at Mae-rang silently. Her deeply wrinkled face was filled with determination to uncover the truth about her grandson’s unjust death.
Fate had brought her to me.
Should I just let them go because I’m busy? I didn’t want to.
I smiled at the two of them.
“Good things will happen, I’m sure.”
I stood up and bid them farewell.
But before I could leave the inn, trouble arose.
Sa-woo, who had hurried past me, approached Mae-rang and Ho Yeon-sook-jeong and said, “If you don’t want to die, come quietly.”
The crowd outside Mu Han’s most prestigious inn parted.
Through the gap, three people walked: Mae-rang, Ho Yeon-sook-jeong, and the man who had brought them, Sa-woo.
Yesterday, whispers began to circulate among those who had seen the two people. Even those unaware of the details looked on with sympathetic eyes at the old woman and the young lady being dragged in.
At that moment, Yiwoo stepped forward and scattered silver coins in all directions.
“A special gift from Master Yeom!”
“Wow!”
The crowd erupted into chaos, scrambling to pick up the money.
Watching the scene unfold, Yiwoo smirked, his lips curling into a mocking grin.
Meanwhile, Maerang and Ho Yeon-sook entered the inn.
Sawu seated them not far from Yeomhwa’s position.
Maerang glared fiercely and shouted, “Why have you brought us here?”
“Old woman, don’t get all worked up! We just have some questions for you.”
“If you have questions, you should come and ask them yourself. How dare a young pup like you summon an old woman like me?”
Yeomhwa frowned, but Maerang showed no sign of fear.
“What? Are you planning to beat up an old woman?”
“I don’t hit old women,” Yeomhwa replied, casting a sidelong glance at Ho Yeon-sook.
Maerang flinched. She didn’t care what happened to herself, but her granddaughter was a different story. She had intended to come alone to avoid such a situation, but Sook-jung had insisted on tagging along.
“What do you want to ask?” Maerang’s tone softened slightly.
“Did anyone come looking for you yesterday?”
“Who are you talking about?”
Maerang and Ho Yeon-sook exchanged puzzled looks, their expressions genuinely clueless.
Yeomhwa took a swig of his drink, irritation evident on his face.
‘Damn it! So where on earth has Ilwoo gone?’
On a distant rooftop, overlooking the inn, Chilho stood with arms crossed. Beside her was another figure.
He was short and youthful-looking, almost like a child at first glance. But he was an adult. This diminutive man was Gwaemangryang, who had come down for this mission.
Gwaemangryang was an assassin within the organization.
Among the top assassins recognized by the organization, he was one of the four. The identities of those he had assassinated remained a closely guarded secret.
The order to bring Gwaemangryang meant one thing: eliminate the target.
Chilho spoke softly, “Eliminate him as soon as possible.”
Gwaemangryang turned to her, asking, “Are you sure the order is to eliminate?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Their relationship was somewhat peculiar.
Though Chilho gave the orders, Gwaemangryang held a higher rank within the organization.
“An order to kill the Butcher of Cheondo Gate? Our organization is truly something.”
He wasn’t complaining. He was excited, like a predator thrilled by the prospect of a worthy hunt.
Gwaemangryang’s gaze shifted from Chilho to the inn.
“Huh? What’s going on over there?”
Chilho followed his gaze toward the inn.
Someone was entering the inn.
I strode confidently toward the inn’s entrance.
“Stop right there!”
Yiwoo blocked my path. Beyond his shoulder, I could see Yeomhwa drinking and Maerang and Ho Yeon-sook seated a little distance away.
With my face concealed and my voice altered, they didn’t recognize me from the day before.
“Who are you to barge in here?”
“This is an inn, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Did you rent the whole place?”
I glanced at the innkeeper, who was too frightened to speak.
Yiwoo looked at me incredulously. Outside, the crowd was still gathered, peering in curiously.
It was unclear whether I was oblivious to the situation or had some hidden agenda.
Then Yeomhwa’s voice came from behind, “Let him in. We should welcome guests at an inn.”
Reluctantly, Yiwoo stepped aside, shooting me a displeased look.
With the murmurs of the onlookers fading behind me, I slowly entered the inn.