Golden Banquet (2)
I was finally free to come and go from the manor as I pleased.
However, the Lady of the Manor imposed one strict rule.
Under no circumstances was I to approach or attempt to open the room across from hers. She warned me that it was rigged with a deadly mechanism that would spell my doom if triggered.
I agreed, but it was a promise I knew would be hard to keep. That room was the most intriguing part of the manor’s underground for me.
“Even if that room were filled with gold, I wouldn’t care.”
With that, I headed straight to Im Yeon-jeong’s laboratory.
“Start your research in ten days. Until then, let’s spend some time together. There won’t be any interruptions.”
Im Yeon-jeong, having already heard about my arrival, shook her head.
“You really are a nuisance.”
But her expression didn’t quite match her words.
“Men are naturally inclined to bother women, aren’t they?”
“Look, if this is about that incident, you’re being naive and foolish. That kiss meant nothing.”
I looked at her, feigning disappointment. She gave me a look that seemed to say, “Are you an idiot?”
I chuckled softly and replied, “In a world where everyone tries to be cunning, there have to be some who live naively and foolishly.”
“From what you’re saying, you don’t seem that foolish.”
“Ha, thanks for thinking so.”
Im Yeon-jeong returned to her seat and picked up a book, but soon shook her head.
“I can’t concentrate with you here.”
“Why can’t you concentrate on someone who means nothing?”
“Are you going to be petty?”
“Ha, no. I didn’t mean to disturb your work. Before I go, may I ask you one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Why are you conducting this research?”
“Do you really not know? It’s to eliminate the deadly side effects of the Fire Spirit Elixir. You’re the one who only has a year to live because of those side effects. You’re the one who should be hoping for the success of this research.”
“So, why eliminate the side effects? This research has been ongoing for years, even before I took the elixir.”
She didn’t answer, but I continued.
“Obviously, it’s to create warriors with immense internal power. But here’s what I want to know: suppose you succeed in creating many such warriors. Then what?”
She remained silent.
I looked her straight in the eyes and asked bluntly, “Are you planning to take over the martial world?”
Im Yeon-jeong turned back to her desk and said coldly, “Get out.”
I left the lab without further provoking her.
Her reaction to my questions about the research’s purpose and outcome was telling. It suggested she had doubts about her work.
In other words, she wasn’t doing this research willingly. Was she caught in some trap as well?
As I walked down the corridor, I saw Chil-ho approaching from the opposite direction.
“Do you remember me?”
“Of course.”
“Can we talk for a moment?”
“Sure, let’s do that.”
We went to the dining room together.
The layout of this underground complex was as follows: upon entering from the outside, you passed through a corridor with four mechanisms, then came the rooms of the Lady’s guards and her quarters. Next was Im Yeon-jeong’s lab, and across from it, the mysterious room emitting a powerful aura. Beyond that was the room where the test subject had died, and after another corridor, you finally reached the dining and sleeping quarters.
There were about seven or eight rooms, one of which was used by I-ho. Now, a room was assigned to both Chil-ho and me.
We entered the dining room, and she poured me a cup of tea from a nearby teapot.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. You’re the famous Nameless Hero from the martial world, aren’t you?”
“Somehow, that’s what they call me. The title of ‘hero’ is too much for me.”
“It’s an honor to meet someone so renowned.”
I was surprised by how well she spoke. When she was with Ma Jeong-su, she mostly just stared into the pond.
It reminded me how people can change depending on their mission and circumstances.
Even I had adapted perfectly to the role of the Nameless Hero. When necessary, people do what they must.
“I heard you killed the butcher of Cheondo Gate. They say he was a formidable master. That’s impressive.”
“He deserved to die. He committed all sorts of evil under the protection of Cheondo Gate.”
“You truly deserve the title of ‘hero.’”
She looked at me with admiration, and in that moment, I realized she had come to kill me.
I knew her true nature. She wasn’t someone who would flatter and praise others so easily.
In other words, she had been given a clear mission regarding me. She would approach me with kindness, gather information, and then decide my fate.
It would be troublesome if she decided to kill me. I had things to do, and I didn’t want to make her an enemy.
“You’ve got it wrong. I’m just a nobody. The Nameless Hero is just a facade.”
She studied me for a moment, then smiled.
“Even a facade is still yours, isn’t it?”
She stood up.
“It was an honor to meet you. Please make time for me in the future.”
She smiled and left the room.
Through a small mirror on the wall, I watched her expression change back to her usual, emotionless self. This meeting had been nothing more than a mission for her from start to finish.
As I left the manor, I focused my senses on the room across from Im Yeon-jeong’s. I tried to sense the energy within.
But all I could tell was that it was powerful. Its true nature remained a mystery.
Who are you, really?
A few more days passed.
The Golden Banquet was proceeding smoothly. Held once a year, it wasn’t just a festival for entertainment. It was an opportunity for merchants who rarely interacted to exchange unknown information and forge new deals.
Of course, it wasn’t just merchants who gathered. Many renowned figures from the martial world attended, making it a perfect chance to form new connections. The merchants of the Central Plains were inseparable from the martial artists.
It was also an opportunity to meet the leader of the martial alliance. Meetings with the leader were held daily.
Ma Cheol-gun was no exception. He was busy meeting dozens of people each day.
While pretending to keep an eye on Ma Cheol-gun, I was searching for someone else.
On the fifth day of the banquet, I found the person I was looking for: Gong Su-chan. I had expected him to attend, and indeed he had.
And with him was someone I was delighted to see—Gwang-du, who was accompanying him as a guard.
Seeing them filled me with joy.
When they entered an inn for a meal, I sat at a distance from them.
I first sent a telepathic message to Gong Su-chan.
-It’s me. Don’t react, just listen while you eat.
Gong Su-chan continued eating without showing any sign of surprise or excitement.
-Is everyone okay? If so, drink some water.
Gong Su-chan took a sip of water.
-I thought so. That’s a relief.
If there had been any trouble, they wouldn’t have been able to attend this event.
-I’m doing well. There’s a reason I can’t approach you directly, so don’t worry.
We exchanged a few more messages. Even without him sending a telepathic reply, he communicated through his choice of dishes and drinks.
I conveyed one particularly important message.
-Set up a branch and contact point for the new merchant group here in Jeongju. Be cautious, as there are many enemies around.
As long as the Nameless Hero wasn’t linked to it, there should be no problem. In such a large city, no one would pay attention to the movements of a small merchant group.
-Now, enjoy your meal. We’ll meet again when you return. Don’t tell Gwang-mu that I contacted you.
He took another sip of water.
I wanted to send a message to Gwang-du as well, but he would likely react immediately. Given the possibility of surveillance, I couldn’t take that risk.
I left the inn before they did. I was truly relieved to know everyone was safe.
Even amidst danger, this is why the task doesn’t feel burdensome.
I have a place to return to.
That evening, the Lady of the Manor summoned me.
“I’ve found out what you asked me to investigate.”
She was referring to Sam-ho, who was monitoring Ma Cheol-gun.
“According to I-ho, Sam-ho won’t be involved in this matter. His purpose is surveillance, not protection.”
“That’s different from I-ho.”
“Indeed.”
“I know you don’t like it when I ask such things, but you know me. I can’t resist my curiosity.”
“Go ahead.”
“Who are the people you’re working with?”
Just say it, let it slip.
But we weren’t at that level of trust yet.
“You don’t need to know.”
I didn’t press further. Knowing the Lady’s personality, pushing would only make her less likely to talk. In the end, what I needed was a moment of genuine connection and a reason for her to open up.
If I kept at it, someone among them would eventually provide a clue. If I couldn’t find it by the last day, I’d have to open that mysterious door. I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“Well, if you say so. Thanks for looking into it. I’ll be off then.”
I stood up and left the room.
I headed to Im Yeon-jeong’s lab. When I opened the door, she was deeply engrossed in her work.
“Shh!”
She was carefully pouring a liquid from a small bowl into a container connected to a central sphere. The precision seemed crucial, and she was fully focused.
Sensing the importance of the moment, I stepped aside.
There was a box where I stood. It had just been opened, as if someone had recently arrived and unpacked it. It seemed like some materials had been delivered.
Then something caught my eye. A torn piece of paper was stuck to the box. It looked like part of a label that had been ripped off, leaving a fragment behind.
The moment I saw it, I knew.
A shipping label!
It was the kind of label used by a courier service, indicating the destination and recipient of the package.
I glanced over at Im Yeonjeong. She had her back to me, completely absorbed in mixing some liquids.
I quickly examined the paper. I could make out a single character on the remaining piece.
It was definitely the character “현” (Hyun).
Judging by its position, it was a courier service ending in “Hyun.” It was unlikely that such important materials for this test would be entrusted to a regular courier. In other words, this courier service was part of our organization.
“Need any help?” I asked.
She replied softly without turning around, “No, just stay put.”
“I’ll be as quiet as a baby.”
“At least babies are cute.”
And they wouldn’t be doing this, I thought, as I scrutinized the paper stuck to the box. Staring intently, I could faintly make out the first character. It was “남” (Nam).
Namhyun Courier Service.
A name I’d never heard before.
Finally, a new clue had emerged.
The next day, I sought out Gong Suchan again to pass on a message. This time, it wasn’t at the inn but as we passed each other on the street.
“Get word to Jin and Su as soon as possible to find out about Namhyun Courier Service. Make sure to warn them that a formidable enemy is behind this, and they must be cautious in their investigation.”
With that, I moved on.
After a brief stroll through the market and a cup of tea at a teahouse, I realized someone was watching me.
The observer was so skilled at hiding that anyone else might not have noticed. But I knew this feeling well. It was the presence of an assassin.
It was likely one of the killers Chilho had brought in. If a decision was made to eliminate me, they would need a blade to do it.
I couldn’t pinpoint who it was. I was definitely being watched, but I couldn’t identify the person or where they were from. This meant their skills were exceptional.
Moreover, by the time I returned, a different assassin had taken over the surveillance. I couldn’t identify them either, which meant they were of similar skill.
Two highly skilled assassins.
I was truly standing in the midst of a swarm of enemies.
And now, only three days remained until the festival’s final day.