Chapter 405: The Man from the South
A Betrayer Among Us
“It doesn’t seem likely that there’s a traitor among the orthodox martial artists. It’s probably a spy from the Demonic Cult,” Tang Mujin said in a low voice.
Namgung Myung questioned him, “Why are you ruling out the possibility of a traitor from the orthodox sects?”
“Because I can’t think of anyone who holds a grudge against me.”
Namgung Myung was about to argue. Given how Tang Mujin was involved in so many affairs, it seemed impossible that no one would bear a grudge against him. But upon reflection, Tang Mujin’s reasoning was surprisingly convincing.
It wasn’t that Tang Mujin maintained harmonious relationships with everyone. Rather, those sects and families that failed to do so had all been wiped out. The Jeweon Baek family, who had hired an assassin to kill him, the Taeui Sword Sect, who had allied with the Salmak, and the Sama family, who had plotted using patients with a rare disease—all had met their end. The last bloodline of the Jeweon Baek family was severed, though not by Tang Mujin’s intention.
Namgung Myung clicked his tongue. “You act all innocent, but you’re quite ruthless.”
“It wasn’t intentional. Anyway, Namgung Myung, do you remember who had the poisoned wine?”
“Of course not. How could I remember that?”
The group turned their eyes to Namgung Myung. It seemed only natural to remember such a detail if one had stolen something.
Namgung Myung replied sheepishly, “It was someone to my right. I never steal with my left hand.”
“True, using the prosthetic hand I made for you to steal would be inhuman.”
“No, it’s because I can’t feel anything with the prosthetic. Stealing requires a delicate touch, you know.”
Indeed, Namgung Myung wasn’t one to overlook such details.
Hong Geolgae interjected, “Didn’t something come out of your left sleeve earlier?”
“The left sleeve is just for storage.”
“Oh…”
With that, the group fell into thought. Who had been to Namgung Myung’s right earlier?
’…I can’t remember.’
Some faces came to mind, but most were a blur. With so many people mingling, how could anyone remember who was where?
Finally, Tang Mujin stood up and said, “We have no choice. We’ll go with the direct approach.”
”…Direct approach?”
“We’ll check everyone currently in the sect.”
Tang Mujin and his companions began interrogating everyone staying at the sect. They didn’t mention the poisoned wine, but there was no need to hide their purpose. Rooting out a potential spy from the Demonic Cult was a plausible enough reason.
Some people were a bit displeased, but no one openly objected. Tang Mujin’s group was too accomplished, and all the sect leaders had agreed to the plan.
Since they weren’t singling out individuals, there was no reason for anyone to feel insulted.
“I’m Son Dam from the Jongnam Sect.”
“Ah, yes. Please have a seat. This won’t take long.”
When Tang Mujin and his friends began the interrogations, people were visibly tense. It was intimidating to face such prominent figures.
However, those who finished the interviews didn’t leave with dark expressions.
“Son Dam, what did they ask you?”
“They just asked a few trivial questions and let me go. Nothing to worry about.”
Contrary to what one might expect, the interrogations were brief. They didn’t ask uncomfortable questions or probe too deeply. It was more like a simple interview.
As a result, the people gathered at the sect didn’t pay much attention to the interrogations. They went about their business, only stopping by when called.
In three days, they had almost finished questioning all the sects. Only one remained: the Tang family.
Tang Mujin was visibly tense. Not finding any suspicious individuals among the other sects suggested the culprit might be within the Tang family.
Fortunately, there was no one suspicious among the Tang family members either. Not even among the martial artists from the Demonic Cult, whom they had been most concerned about.
Hong Geolgae stretched and said, “We’re done, but we didn’t find anyone. Are we going to start over, or just let it go?”
Tang Mujin shook his head. “No, there’s still one person left.”
He looked at the list of names, focusing on the only one not crossed out: Nam Woong.
Soon, the sliding door opened, and Nam Woong entered.
“Hello, Master Tang. It’s been a while, everyone.”
“You’re Nam Woong, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve been with the Tang family for five years.”
“We know. Please, have a seat.”
Nam Woong was a man in his early forties. His appearance was rugged, but his presence was surprisingly faint. Tang Mujin barely noticed him once a year.
Nam Woong had one distinguishing feature: he was the only martial artist in the Tang family, aside from Tang Mujin, who wasn’t from the Demonic Cult.
Though Nam Woong’s expression was calm, Hyun Gong noticed something odd.
‘His eyes are darting.’
‘His breathing is shallow, and his fingers and toes are twitching.’
Tang Mujin seemed to notice Nam Woong’s unusual state and gave Hyun Gong a slight nod. Hyun Gong nodded back.
Tang Mujin asked Nam Woong the first question.
“Do you know why you’re here?”
“Yes, I heard there might be a spy from the Demonic Cult.”
“Is there anything you’d like to say? Anything you want to confess?”
“Well… not really.”
The same questions asked a hundred times.
But this time, Hyun Gong stood up, approached Nam Woong, and squatted in front of him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Nothing comes to mind?”
”…Yes.”
Hyun Gong turned to his friends and said, “I think he’s lying.”
Nam Woong’s body stiffened.
His heart sank, and a flurry of thoughts raced through his mind. Was this just part of the interrogation? Were they testing him?
But the atmosphere was tense.
“I’m not lying…!”
At that moment, Namgung Myung, who had been sitting in front of him, was suddenly behind him, pressing Nam Woong’s back with his knee.
Nam Woong found himself pinned to the floor, struggling.
“Why are you doing this? I’m not a spy! I haven’t left the Tang family in five years!”
But Tang Mujin ignored him and placed three small items in front of Nam Woong.
A cloudy bead, a small ring, and a letter with unreadable contents.
Tang Mujin asked Nam Woong, “Which of these do you think led to this situation?”
“I… I don’t know!”
“Just take a guess.”
“The letter, isn’t it?”
Hyun Gong chuckled. “The letter is a good guess, but your eyes are avoiding the poisoned wine as if you mustn’t look at it.”
“It’s just that the bead doesn’t seem suspicious!”
Tang Mujin’s sword was already drawn, its blade gleaming as he leaned on it like a cane in front of Nam Woong.
“Convince me.”
“How can I convince you when I don’t know anything…?”
“If you don’t know where to start, tell us everything. Surely you didn’t infiltrate the Tang family with malicious intent from the beginning?”
Nam Woong realized that if he couldn’t convince Tang Mujin, he might not leave alive.
With a trembling voice, Nam Woong began to tell his story.
Nam Woong was a fisherman from the distant south, on Hainan Island.
He was naturally diligent and skilled at diving, recognized as a full-fledged fisherman by the age of fifteen.
He thought he would spend his life catching fish like everyone else, and he had no complaints.
But when Nam Woong turned sixteen, pirates from a nearby island appeared near Hainan.
Usually, the pirates were indifferent to the fishermen, sometimes even trading with them.
But that day was different. The pirates began looting the fishing village without a care for the consequences.
“Stop them!”
Some fishermen grabbed harpoons to fend off the pirates, but they were no match for the seasoned fighters. Among those captured was Nam Woong.
“Boss, what should we do with this one?”
“Kill him or take him with us. Do as you please.”
In that life-threatening moment, fortune didn’t abandon Nam Woong. A water bandit intervened, suggesting they spare him.
“We’re short on hands as it is. We can always kill him later if he causes trouble, but for now, let’s take him.”
“Fine, do as you wish.”
The pirates decided to take Nam Woong with them.
Later, Nam Woong learned why the pirates had attacked Hainan. They were planning to end their piracy and become water bandits on the Yangtze River.
Suddenly, the fisherman Nam Woong was dragged inland to the Yangtze and became a water bandit.
On the day Nam Woong first went out for banditry, the bandit who had argued for his life gave him a warning.
“Namwoong, listen up. If you mess around today, you might end up dead. Stay sharp, got it?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s move!”
But that day, Namwoong survived, while the bandit who brought him along did not.
The moment he realized there was an extraordinary martial artist on the ship, he didn’t hesitate to jump into the river, saving his life.
The raids continued after that. Sometimes they plundered ships with ease, other times they fled empty-handed. Success meant minimal casualties, but failure often resulted in deaths. Yet, Namwoong, quick-witted as he was, always managed to survive.
The young fisherman became a lowly errand boy for the bandits, then the youngest member, gradually gaining experience until he became the deputy leader, and finally, the leader himself.
Over twenty years passed since the day he was captured, and Namwoong was now thirty-eight.
“Boss! Long live the boss!”
On the day he became the leader, the bandits gathered and bowed before Namwoong.
It was then that Namwoong snapped back to reality.
’…How did I end up here?’
He had always done his best in whatever role he was given, and somehow, he had become the leader of bandits. The sixteen-year-old fisherman had vanished, leaving only a bandit who had taken many lives.
That night, Namwoong couldn’t sleep well. Tossing and turning, he dreamt of his hometown.
He dreamt of the days when he would sail out to sea in a small boat and return with a bounty of fish.
But as he stepped onto the shore from his boat, a crowd rushed towards him, bowing and shouting.
“Master, you’ve returned!”
Namwoong jolted awake. Not “boss,” but “master”? What a ridiculous dream.
He quickly forgot the details of the dream, except for one thing: the image of his hometown lingered in his mind.
After much contemplation, Namwoong made a decision. He would quit the bandit life and return home.
However, he didn’t want to return empty-handed after nearly twenty years.
’…Just one last big score.’
After days of careful planning, he chose a suitable target. With a martial arts tournament happening in Wuchang, it was unlikely that any skilled fighters would be on the ship. Disguised as merchants, Namwoong and two of his men boarded the vessel.
But life is never predictable.
Onboard, Namwoong encountered Tang Mujin and his group, along with the formidable martial artist, Jang Il-nam.
”…That’s how it happened.”
Namwoong finished his story, watching Tang Mujin’s reaction. He feared he might be cut down on the spot for revealing his past as a bandit.
Tang Mujin, however, remained calm.
“I’ve known you were a bandit for a while. Everyone except Jang Il-nam probably knows.”
“Oh, yes. I regret my bandit days.”
Namwoong replied sheepishly, but Tang Mujin seemed uninterested.
“I didn’t spare you because you seemed remorseful. It’s because Jang Il-nam took you as his disciple.”
“Yes. I wasn’t trying to make excuses. I just wanted to clarify that I didn’t infiltrate the Tang family on purpose.”
“There’s something more important. Why did you have the poison antidote? Were you planning a secret attack?”
“No, not at all!”
Namwoong waved his hands frantically.
“Honestly, I had no intention of participating in the martial arts tournament.”
”…What do you mean by that?”
“Jang Il-nam lived with Master Sam An-bul, and martial artists from the demonic sect follow him. Naturally, I spent a lot of time with them. That’s how I got dragged into this.”
Namwoong’s explanation was a bit jumbled. He wasn’t particularly eloquent.
Tang Mujin frowned, asking for more details.
“Explain it clearly.”
“I was just hanging out with some friends from the demonic sect when Master Sam An-bul showed up and started talking about the tournament. I’m not from the demonic sect, so I didn’t want to join… But everyone else was cheering and eager to participate. Master Sam An-bul assumed everyone was in.”
It was such a typical way for Sam An-bul and the demonic sect to handle things that Tang Mujin was momentarily speechless.
But he managed to speak again.
”…Then why didn’t you say something later? This isn’t just a casual visit next door; it’s a martial arts tournament.”
“It’s not easy to speak up in front of Master Sam An-bul… He’s quite intimidating.”
Tang Mujin almost nodded in agreement but caught himself.
“No, no. You’re supposed to be explaining the poison antidote. Why did you have it?”
“I’ve heard countless times about the incredible poison skills of the sect leader. They say even those nearby can get poisoned if they’re unlucky. I’ve heard that even your friend, Gyu Cho-gae, has been poisoned dozens of times.”
Tang Mujin glanced at Hong Geol-gae, who turned away.
Hong Geol-gae hadn’t been poisoned often. He’d only been poisoned a couple of times during fights. The rest were incidents while he was snoring away, but Namwoong couldn’t have known that.
Namwoong spoke awkwardly.
“I can understand dying by the sword. I’ve done bad things in my youth, so I could see it as divine punishment. But dying from poison just by being nearby is terrifying. I wanted to return home alive if possible…”
“So, you took the poison antidote from the Tang family?”
“Yes. I knew it was stealing, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to borrow something no one was using.”
Tang Mujin studied Namwoong before asking.
“How skilled are you now?”
“I can hold my own against the demonic sect martial artists, except for Master Sam An-bul.”
Tang Mujin murmured softly. As expected.
Despite his unassuming presence, Namwoong’s skills were impressive.
One reason Tang Mujin had been suspicious of Namwoong’s intentions was that his perceived abilities were far superior to what Tang Mujin remembered.
In Tang Mujin’s eyes, Namwoong seemed capable of defeating most of the demonic sect martial artists, not just holding his own.
He was at least mid-to-upper tier among top martial artists.
Perhaps even more.
Having trained under the exceptionally talented Jang Il-nam for five years, it was only natural that Namwoong had achieved significant prowess.
“Take it.”
Tang Mujin tossed the poison antidote to Namwoong.
Namwoong fumbled to catch it, looking bewildered as he stared at Tang Mujin.
“Keep it.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
The poison antidote was rarely used but extremely valuable. It was likely worth a fortune. Namwoong’s face lit up noticeably.
Tang Mujin thought that expression bore a slight resemblance to Jang Il-nam.
“I don’t go back on my word. And I was going to send you back home right away, but that’s not possible now.”
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting that much.”
Feeling that the misunderstanding had been somewhat resolved, Namwoong grinned and bowed.
Tang Mujin spoke to Namwoong.
“You’re quick-witted, so you’ll find a way to survive the tournament, right?”
“I’m not confident, but… I’ll try my best.”
“Do your best. If you survive until the end of the tournament, I’ll give you a gold crown. You can return to your hometown with that and call it a triumphant return.”
“Oh, that’s too generous!”
“Go and rest.”
Over the years of leading the Tang family, Tang Mujin had learned one thing.
If you can gain a capable person, it’s worth giving up some wealth.
‘I’m glad I discovered a talent, even if it was late.’
Tang Mujin felt satisfied.