Chapter 53:

Chapter 53:

That evening.

Hong So-hee soothed and comforted Ryu Seol-hwa before cautiously sneaking out of the Cheonryu Sangdan.

Fortunately, it was still a time when many people were coming and going at the Cheonryu Sangdan.

As long as she didn’t do anything conspicuous, there wouldn’t be any problems with leaving and coming back to the sangdan.

‘I can’t believe the opportunity came sooner than expected.’

She had to work hard to suppress the ecstatic expression threatening to break out on her face.

Whenever she recalled the contents of the letter she received from the beggar boy during the day, the corners of her mouth involuntarily twitched upwards.

The letter’s contents were unmistakably a love letter. But for some reason, she was heading to a place not mentioned in the love letter.

‘It’s my chance to put that old man under my feet!’

The letter, disguised as a love letter, was actually written in the code system used by the organization she belonged to.

And after deciphering the code, it revealed that the sender wanted to contact her directly about matters concerning the Shaolin and the Cheonryu Sangdan.

By using that code to summon her separately, it implied that the sender held a higher rank than the old man who was her current superior.

Suppressing the excitement swelling in her chest, she arrived at an abandoned house on the outskirts of Deungbong-hyeon.

And as if waiting for her, a man dressed in black, with his face covered, stood up calmly as she approached the house.

The man with the covered face was none other than Mu-jin.

‘As expected.’

This confirmed that Hong So-hee was indeed a pawn connected to the mastermind.

Mu-jin had experience reading the code system used by the mastermind’s spies from his past, through the novel “Legend of the Evil Emperor.”

Although it was a memory from twenty years ago, the code system had stayed in his mind from his school days when he had deciphered it and played various pranks.

To recall that old memory after a long time, and to compose the letter disguised as a love letter, he had written and discarded dozens of letters.

‘It was a gamble, but I didn’t expect her to take the bait so easily.’

Even if the target didn’t fall for it, the love letter disguise would prevent any repercussions.

Sending a love letter to a woman was nothing unusual.

To avoid trouble in Shaolin for writing a love letter as a novice monk and to avoid Hong So-hee’s suspicion, he had discreetly bribed the grandsons of his clinic’s regular elderly patients with sweets to deliver the letter.

As he approached the bait who had fallen for his trap, Mu-jin spoke in a forced, deep voice.

“What have you done with Ryu Seol-hwa?”

In response to the man in black’s question, Hong So-hee answered in a calm tone.

“She is resting at the sangdan’s quarters. To avoid suspicion from the sangdan, I should return early. Please instruct me on what I need to do next.”

“Continue as you have been. Stay by Ryu Seol-hwa’s side and uncover information about the Cheonryu Sangdan and Shaolin.”

With that, Mu-jin extended his hand towards Hong So-hee.

Mu-jin was only fourteen years old, but his palms, hardened from the past two and a half years of weight training, resembled those of a seasoned martial artist.

Hong So-hee took a letter out of her sleeve.

It was a sort of report she had written, summarizing what she had seen and heard while following Ryu Seol-hwa and Mu-jin that day.

However, instead of handing over the letter immediately, she spoke, testing her opponent.

“It’s not easy for me to come out like this every time, being tied up with Ryu Seol-hwa. Tell me how we will meet in the future.”

“I will enter the Cheonryu Sangdan soon. At that time, we will contact each other inside the sangdan. I will send you a message.”

In response to Mu-jin’s reply, Hong So-hee handed him the letter she was holding.

As soon as Mu-jin grabbed the letter she offered, he suddenly extended his left hand to attack her.

“What the!?”

It was only then that Hong So-hee realized something was wrong and urgently swung both her hands.

Thinking that they were trying to dispose of her because she had outlived her usefulness, she used the martial arts she had learned during her spy training to survive.

Clang!

A noise like clashing iron resounded as Mu-jin’s left palm collided with Hong So-hee’s hands.

At that moment, a question flashed through Hong So-hee’s mind.

For someone who came to eliminate her, their martial arts weren’t that strong.

However, survival took precedence over resolving that doubt.

She lifted his left palm with both hands, then plunged forward, aiming her right-hand nails at his chest.

Thud!

But to her surprise.

Her right hand tore through the man’s black clothes, and her nails touched his bare skin, but they failed to pierce his chest.

“!?”

“Why are you here with Lady Seol-hwa’s maidservant on your shoulder?!”

The news of Mu-jin boldly carrying the woman through Deungbong-hyeon to the Cheonryu Sangdan had also reached the Shaolin disciples at the clinic.

Realizing that the stage was fully set, Mu-jin began to speak calmly.

“Just a while ago, after finishing my duties at the clinic, I was walking through the streets of Deungbong-hyeon. It was then that I happened to see this woman, Lady Seol-hwa’s maidservant, walking alone. It struck me as odd. Why was Lady Seol-hwa’s maidservant moving about on her own, without Lady Seol-hwa?”

“...Are you claiming she is a spy based solely on that?”

Ryu Ji-gwang asked incredulously, and Mu-jin shook his head as he continued his explanation.

“So, I followed her in secret. She entered an abandoned house on the outskirts of the village and met with a man who was dressed in black, hiding his face and body. They were discussing matters related to the business conducted jointly by the Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan.”

“!!!”

As soon as Mu-jin finished his explanation, various reactions erupted from both the Cheonryu Sangdan and the Shaolin disciples.

“How are we supposed to believe that?!”

“Sangdanju! That Mu-jin must be up to some trickery!”

Naturally, most of the reactions from the Sangdan were highly negative.

“Are you doubting a disciple of the Shaolin right now?”

On the other hand, the Shaolin disciples, though uncertain, sided with Mu-jin.

At that moment, Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the Cheonryu Sangdan, spoke up.

“Everyone, be quiet!”

Indeed, the owner of one of the Five Great Merchant Groups was different. Despite the lack of any internal energy in his voice, he instantly silenced the crowd.

“Novice Mu-jin, your testimony alone is not enough to prove that this maidservant is a spy.”

Calming everyone down, he spoke as if exercising his last bit of patience.

“Are you saying you need evidence?”

“Yes.”

At Ryu Ji-gwang’s words, Mu-jin smiled inwardly.

In this world of martial arts fiction, there were no cameras, no CCTV, no recording devices. There was not even fingerprint comparison technology, nor could DNA be analyzed from bloodstains.

In a world where scientific investigation was impossible, how could one gather direct evidence?

Therefore, the only evidence available in this world were circumstantial evidence and testimonies from those around.

After some contemplation, Mu-jin realized that there was indeed one piece of evidence unique to this world.

Mu-jin pointed to the wound on his chest and began to speak.

“This wound is the evidence. How could this maidservant possess such vicious martial arts skills?”

The most representative piece of evidence in the world of martial arts fiction was, of course, traces of martial arts.

“If I hadn’t mastered Iron Skin, I would have been pierced through the chest and killed.”

Saying this, Mu-jin placed the unconscious Hong So-hee on the ground and revealed her nails.

Indeed, there were slight traces of flesh and blood on her nails.

By examining the wounds and traces, those who practiced martial arts could determine the type of martial arts she had used.

It was an assassination technique typically practiced by professional killers.

Naturally, it was not a martial art that a merchant group’s maidservant would learn.

“And there are also marks on my arm from clashing with her hand technique. If you wish, you can compare it with her hands.”

Mu-jin extended his left hand, which had clashed with her double palms.

“If this isn’t enough, my final piece of evidence is this letter. It is the letter that this maidservant was about to hand over to the man in black at the scene. Compare her handwriting with it.”

Finally, one of the most commonly used pieces of evidence in martial arts fiction was handwriting.

Naturally, Mu-jin’s words began to gain credibility.

“Chief Officer Geum.”

“Yes, Sangdanju.”

“Compare the handwriting with the documents written by this maidservant.”

“I will carry out your order.”

As soon as Ryu Ji-gwang gave the command, an old man called Chief Officer Geum hurriedly moved.

Before long, servants and maidservants brought several letters, and Chief Officer Geum began comparing the letters with the one Mu-jin had handed over, written by Hong So-hee.

Due to the repeated commotion, Hong So-hee, who had been unconscious, finally woke up with a groan of pain.

Naturally, upon waking up and seeing the crowd surrounding her, she was bewildered.

Struggling to regain her composure, Ryu Ji-gwang immediately questioned her.

“Why were you out alone at this hour, despite being Lady Seol-hwa’s maidservant?”

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