Chapter 16

Episode 16

: Rattle!

Inside a carriage for VIPs led by a troupe heading to Sacheon.

I carefully read the letter that Hao Wendao handed me just before departure.

There was a lot of miscellaneous information, but if I were to summarize the important parts, they were as follows.

『Name – Dokgo Woojin.

Age – fifty-two years old.

Personality – Quiet and serious. He was particularly strict in his teachings and was considered a ghost without blood or tears among his disciples.

Family Relationship – One wife and one son. It is presumed that he passed away from his parents about ten years ago.

Human relations – There is almost no interaction with people outside of the family. Tang Seoyeon, a direct blood relative of the Four Rivers Tang family, is making regular contact. The reason is unknown.

Reputation of those around you – Gain the favor of those around you with a humble attitude that contrasts with your outstanding martial arts skills. Seven years ago, he single-handedly destroyed Hwangunbang, the main enemy of the Black Island, and was nicknamed Cheon-gwon.

Past activities – Nothing about his past has been revealed other than that he moved to Sacheon and settled after losing his parents about ten years ago. We are currently conducting further investigation by mobilizing believers active in the area. If I get new information in the future, I will pass it on.』

Should I say Haomun?

Even though the research was conducted in a short period of time, the quality of information was very high.

I also liked that additional research was being conducted to supplement the insufficient information.

‘It’s a pity that the most important part is missing.’

It was a bit surprising that even Hao Wen, who had built such a vast information network, did not know Dok Go Woo Jin’s past.

This could not have happened unless someone had artificially erased his traces.

‘There is a high possibility that the person concerned deleted it themselves. It seems that after some incident, he decided to quit his gang activities and live a quiet life.’

Did starting a family make you want to settle down?

Or did something serious happen before settling in Sacheon?

The thoughts continued one after another.

‘I don’t know. During the period when I was confined to Jamma-dong, I had no time to pay attention to things like Ganghosa...’

Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about Dokgo Woojin during this period.

I just make guesses based on the fragmentary information that remains in my memory.

“Anyway, it’s a thousand volumes... ... .”

Cheon Kwon (天拳).

It was a nickname that felt unfamiliar to me.

When I left Jamma-dong and started working as a strongman in earnest, Dokgo Woo-jin was already called King Kwon.

The people of the world called the Sipcheonje (十天帝), the highest priest of the Baekdo Martial Order, as the Two Honors, the Three Ghosts, and the Five Kings.

In my memory, Dokgo Woojin was an absolute master who ranked first among the five kings.

A giant of a political faction that even I in my past life could not surpass.

I don’t know why he is hiding his skills at this time and is acting like a mere military officer.

I thought I might be able to get some clues by using Hao Wen’s intelligence to investigate his past activities, but it didn’t seem like things would be resolved that easily.

‘I can’t do it. ‘I have no choice but to find out for myself.’

In the end, I had no choice but to face it in person.

I don’t think I can easily achieve my goal, but what can I do?

Originally, nothing in this world was easy.

‘Well, if you want to get the attention of the King of Power and learn the White Lightning God Art, you have to put in this much effort.’

* * *

Evil!

The sword cut through the air, emitting a sharp firing sound.

Late morning hours.

An empty lot located not far from the guest house where the voyage troupe stays.

I stood in the center of a quiet clearing, brandished my sword, and checked my physical condition.

‘It still feels like it’s taking a while.’

The aftereffects of the fight against the masked man were still there.

It wasn’t that I felt much pain or anything, but I couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“under.”

A laugh escaped me.

I can’t believe I’m like this with just one meal.

‘Now I really have to learn a new way of thinking.’

It was a time when there was a desperate need for a Naegongsim method to replace the Heavenly Demon’s Heart Gong.

“Are you Soun Sohyeop?”

As I got closer, the man spotted me and gave me a happy look.

Feeling instinctively wary, I put my hand on the sword, and he hastily waved his hand and added,

“You don’t have to be on guard. My name is Hao Mun-do. I have received instructions to deliver a letter to the branch manager. However, when I arrived at the guesthouse, I heard that Sohyeop was away...”

The man who was explaining quickly trailed off as he noticed me.

Only then did I remove my hand from the sword and nodded.

“Why don’t you reveal your identity first?”

“sorry. “I think I was too careless.”

“it’s okay.”

“Please take this.”

The man handed me the letter he had taken out of his pocket and left as if running away.

As soon as I entered the guesthouse on the second floor, I immediately opened the letter.

『Munju has accepted your offer.

However, the time and place will be decided here. I

will contact you again soon, so please keep that in mind.’

After checking the contents of the letter, I raised the corners of my mouth.

When I asked what the business was, it was a response to a previous offer.

‘It looks like you were quite fit.’

I never thought I would get an answer so quickly.

Hao Wenju seemed to care about his youngest disciple.

[Please go and tell Lord Moon. That’s actually not a disease.]

A conversation I had with a masked person at Hwawollu not long ago passed through my mind.

[It’s not a disease?]

[Yes.]

[Could it be poison?]

[That’s not it either.]

[If it’s not a disease or an addiction, then what is it?]

[If I had to find a word to express it, it would be a mental demon. .]

[Nonsense. If it was a Simma, there is no way Lord Mun would not have recognized it.]

[If it were a normal Simma, it would be so

.] [What does it mean?]

[The youngest disciple probably acquired some martial arts book several months or years before he contracted the strange disease.] [

. .....?]

[The cause of the evil spirit is the book of martial arts.]

[Let me explain in more detail.] [

At first glance, it may seem like a book recording the military exploits of the right faction, but in fact, the source of the book of martial arts is the Demonic Cult.] [

The Demonic Cult? ]

[yes. And the author of the book is none other than Chen Ma of his time.]

[......!]

What Hao Wen-ju’s youngest disciple suffers from is not a strange disease, but a mental illness.

This was also the result of an arrangement prepared by the Ma religious leader of the time.

Even if the Murim Alliance’s divine doctor came forward, he would not be able to heal her.

It’s not a disease in the first place, so how can you treat it?

Only the sect leader himself, who wrote the Book of Military Merit, or his disciple who followed his progress, could have cured her.

‘And it so happened that I was a disciple of the religious leader in my past life.’

I chuckled as I put the letter down on the table.

I feel sorry for the religious leader, but in this life, I planned to intercept all the arrangements he had made.

It wasn’t just an arrangement aimed at Hao Wen.

I knew.

Also, the number of official documents written by the religious leader is five, not one.

Also about the trick he is preparing to divide the Baekdo Martial Forest in the central plains.

Even what the fourth disciple under his instructions was planning in Guizhou.

‘There is no reason not to use them even if you know them. I will use them all as my food and public benefit.’