Between Favor and Deception (3)
The next day, when Chudochi came to see me, I made a bold request.
“I need some money.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“After thinking it over, meeting you all wasn’t just like stepping in something unpleasant on the street.”
“You little…!”
But Chudochi didn’t glare at me with murderous eyes as he usually would. He knew I was a dead man walking anyway. That’s how people’s minds work.
“Since things have come to this, I want to become a proper hero.”
“And what does that have to do with money?”
“How could it not? I need a good sword, a fine horse. It seems a waste to blow the money I’ve earned on frivolities.”
“It sounds more like you want to make a fortune. So, how much are you asking for?”
“Give me twenty thousand nyang.”
“What?”
Chudochi frowned.
“Are you out of your mind? Do you think twenty thousand nyang is just a dog’s name?”
“I know it’s not, which is why I’m asking you. Go and tell Ma Gongja exactly what I said.”
Chudochi left the inn, clicking his tongue in disbelief.
Watching his retreating figure, I smirked coldly. Insolent intentions deserve proper retribution.
I had realized their plan to make me a hero and then kill Ma Cheolgun.
Fine, I’ll become the hero they want. But they’ll have to pay the price.
The future of the martial arts world is at stake. Ma Ryeongin won’t be able to refuse easily.
There were about twenty days left until the grand martial arts gathering.
Before then, I needed to find out what was in the underground chamber, what kind of trials took place there, and how they obtained the secret elixir.
Only then could I plan my next moves.
“That lunatic asked for twenty thousand nyang.”
Chudochi reported incredulously. Ma Ryeongin, who Chudochi expected to react similarly, said something unexpected.
“Give it to him.”
“What?”
At first, Chudochi thought he had misheard. But he hadn’t.
“Give him the money.”
Chudochi was taken aback.
“This is unacceptable!”
No matter how much they needed him, giving away such a fortune was unthinkable.
“It’s too large a sum. A few thousand nyang should suffice if you must give him something.”
But Ma Ryeongin had already made up his mind.
“Isn’t this the first time you’ve seen someone raise their own price as a sacrificial lamb?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s a test of fate. The path to becoming the leader of the martial arts world. The greater the investment, the greater the return.”
“Still, twenty thousand nyang is too much.”
Chudochi was adamantly opposed. Even with all their wealth, twenty thousand nyang was a lot. It was more than he, who had been loyal for so long, had ever received. The thought of giving such a sum to that man stirred jealousy, anger, and even a greed he hadn’t known he had.
“The more you invest, the more you gain. Give it to him.”
The command carried a weight that brooked no further argument.
Chudochi sighed.
“Yes.”
His response was followed by an unspoken “damn it.”
The next day, Chudochi returned and tossed the twenty thousand nyang at me before leaving.
I had been prepared to receive only about ten thousand, but to get the full amount was unexpected.
Ma Ryeongin was indeed a man whose intentions were hard to read.
With the sixteen thousand nyang from the bounty and the twenty thousand from Ma Ryeongin, I had amassed thirty-six thousand nyang. A fortune in such a short time.
The only downside was that the money from the martial arts alliance and Ma Ryeongin wasn’t in small denominations. In other words, it was traceable, usable by a nameless guest but not by a notorious group.
So, there was no need to be frugal with this money.
I took the money and headed straight to the Jeongju Black Market. As expected of a large city, it was bigger than the one in Shandong.
The owner of this market was a courteous and friendly middle-aged man.
“You’re here to buy elixirs?”
“Yes. Do you have any good ones?”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any in stock. It’s been hard to come by elixirs lately, as if someone’s been hoarding them.”
His words made me pause. I was already aware that it was a difficult time to find elixirs, having used the black market several times before.
But the mention of hoarding caught my attention.
Could they have been stockpiling elixirs?
The secret trials in the underground chamber came to mind. And they had the wealth to give me twenty thousand nyang without hesitation.
If Ma Ryeongin was the head, there would be hands and feet, a body. If they were buying up elixirs…
It was an uncertain guess, but it sent a chill down my spine.
“We have many other good items. Would you like to take a look?”
“Let’s do that.”
Hoping to spend some money, I followed him to where the weapons were displayed.
The variety was much greater than in the Shandong market.
But I passed by the swords without a glance.
“There are many fine swords. Why not take a look?”
“Swords are too expensive.”
“True. Swords are the most costly.”
I looked around for anything worth buying, but nothing caught my eye.
The only thing that seemed worth considering was some protective gear.
“What kind of protective gear do you have?”
The owner showed me several pieces.
There was a thick, conspicuous one for nine thousand nyang, and a sleek, form-fitting one for one hundred forty thousand nyang.
The cheap one was impractical, and the discreet one was exorbitantly priced.
“One hundred forty thousand nyang? That’s too expensive.”
“It’s worth the price.”
“My life isn’t worth that much.”
I moved on.
Then something caught my eye. A fishing rod was propped up in the corner, and it looked familiar.
“What is that?”
“It’s a unique weapon once used by the Southern Sea Fisherman.”
The Southern Sea Fisherman had died about ten years ago, and I had been quite familiar with him. He had led the charge against the demonic sects in the past.
“Is it for sale?”
“It is, but there’s something you should know.”
“What is it?”
“Unfortunately, the fishing line is broken. It should fetch seventy to eighty thousand nyang, but we’re selling it for ten thousand.”
I nodded, looking at the fishing rod.
“If you buy it, I’ll give it to you for seven thousand nyang.”
Considering the Southern Sea Fisherman’s reputation, it was a ridiculously low price.
But a fishing rod without a line was nearly worthless. Most techniques using a fishing rod required the line.
“Alright. I’ll take it for seven thousand nyang.”
“Good choice.”
The owner was delighted to sell the long-unsold fishing rod.
I also bought another item: a wrist guard. I chose the best one on display.
“This is the Hwan Snake, worn by the legendary martial artist Kwon Woong. It’s light and very tough.”
I had heard of the Hwan Snake. It could withstand most blades.
Of course, it couldn’t endure the sharpness of the Suramyeongwang Sword, but it could handle the Cheonjo Sword. I was referring to the blade’s sharpness, not its aura or energy.
“How much?”
“Twenty-two thousand nyang for the pair.”
“Alright. I’ll take it.”
“Excellent choice!”
The owner’s smile was as wide as a full moon. He had sold both the fishing rod and the wrist guard in one day.
But at that moment, I was even more pleased. There was a secret only I knew.
Back at the inn, I locked the door to my room and drew the curtains.
Then I got to work.
First, I picked up the Southern Sea Fisherman’s fishing rod. I infused it with my energy and pulled on the handle. The seemingly inseparable handle came apart, revealing a thin rod wrapped with fishing line.
I had seen the Southern Sea Fisherman do this on the battlefield, pulling out the line to reattach it.
The fishing line was made of celestial silk, treated with special chemicals to make it incredibly tough. The Southern Sea Fisherman had become a renowned master with just this fishing rod, thanks to the celestial silk.
I unwound the line and wrapped it around the Hwan Snake.
The already strong and tough Hwan Snake, now reinforced with layers of celestial silk, became an incredibly strong protective gear. This was why I had bought the fishing rod and then the Hwan Snake.
“Hahaha.”
I laughed in satisfaction. I now had a practical piece of protection for my unique martial arts.
Moreover, with the celestial silk wrapped around it, it no longer looked like the original Hwan Snake. Worn under a narrow-sleeved martial robe, it was hard for others to tell I was wearing it.
After finishing my work, I went to the window and drew back the curtains.
I enjoyed the pleasant sunlight and gazed at the scenery outside.
Now, the remaining task was to find a way into the underground chamber.
If Ma Ryeongin went out with his eight guards, could I sneak in?
I could find my way to the manor and perhaps locate the entrance to the underground.
The problem was the mechanisms in the underground corridor.
There were four traps in the corridor.
If even one was triggered, it would be over. They would know I had infiltrated.
What if I could fly over the corridor?
“Do you think one of the four might not activate? Considering how smoothly the mechanism moved when it descended underground, it must have been crafted by a true expert. There’s no way it was designed to be bypassed with light footwork.”
If infiltration isn’t an option, what other methods are there?
Jeongju was bustling with preparations for the Golden Festival.
Stages were being set up everywhere. During the ten days of the festival, a variety of competitions and events would take place. From martial arts tournaments to night markets that stayed open until dawn, famous musicians from the central plains were invited to perform, and theater troupes put on shows. It was a grand celebration in every sense.
I stood watching the platform being constructed in the open space.
Just then, someone spoke from behind me.
“I hear the leader of the martial alliance will be giving a speech here.”
I turned to see Ma Ryeong-in approaching. About ten paces away, eight martial arts masters stood. It was the first time I felt their presence up close. As I had suspected, they were of the same caliber as the formidable opponents I had faced in the past.
“Shouldn’t you be calling him ‘father’ instead of ‘leader’?”
“Business is business.”
“So, there’s no affection between you two?”
Ma Ryeong-in gave a slight smile, acknowledging the truth before changing the subject.
“You look well.”
“Money does wonders. I truly appreciated the twenty thousand nyang you gave me last time. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to hand it over so readily. You’ve surprised me, Ma Gongja.”
Ma Ryeong-in chuckled at my candid words.
“I’m glad you finally understand me. So, what do you plan to do with that money?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I might not even be around a year from now.”
I didn’t mention my recent visit to Heukshi.
“You’ll survive.”
Ma Ryeong-in spoke with unwavering sincerity.
His eyes didn’t waver in the slightest. Just from his expression, even I couldn’t tell he was lying.
Of course, he was lying. His talents lay more in deception and manipulation than martial arts.
Our gazes naturally shifted to the ongoing construction.
“Do you know about the Golden Festival?”
“I’ve heard of it.”
“Truly, all the wealthy people from the martial world gather there.”
“It should be quite a sight.”
The Golden Festival is in fifteen days. On that day, Ma Bong-gi will stand on that platform and give a speech. The thought of the martial alliance, to which I dedicated my life, falling into the hands of such a lecher makes my heart ache.
“May I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“What was in that room?”
“Curious, are you?”
“Of course, I’m curious. I’m also curious about what materials you’re gathering. Is there some grand ritual being prepared?”
Ma Ryeong-in gave a mysterious smile.
“And who was the person who stopped me from entering the room?”
His expression hardened slightly. It was clear their relationship wasn’t entirely amicable.
“Why do you ask?”
“I was curious if he was your superior or subordinate.”
“He’s my subordinate.”
I tilted my head in confusion.
“Do you have a preference for arrogant people?”
Given our usual banter, I expected him to laugh, but his expression only grew more rigid.
Feigning indifference, I shifted my gaze elsewhere.
“I don’t need to see the room. There’s plenty to see elsewhere.”
Sometimes, when you truly want something, it’s wiser to take a step back.
Especially when dealing with someone with a strong ego or who thinks they’re clever. Push them, and they’ll only resist more. Instead, step back and let them reveal an opening.
I chose to challenge Ma Ryeong-in’s pride rather than try to bypass the mechanism.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said about fate. It’s a bit awkward for two men to talk about this, but I do feel there’s some kind of connection between us.”
His tense expression softened slightly.
“Let’s meet again, Ma Gongja.”
I bid him farewell and turned away.
Now, it’s time to wait. The challenge to his pride and my parting words should create a dynamic interaction.
Listen, if you think you’re the only one who can manipulate people with cunning, you’re mistaken. If you’re a viper, I’ve dealt with all kinds of sly creatures.
One way or another, I’ll make sure you open that door yourself.