Episode 92:
There is no one I should be with.
Suddenly, my back felt cold.
In a split second, I concentrated my energy on my left hand and struck the ground.
‘It couldn’t have risen into the sky, so it must have fallen to the ground.’
Kwaaaaang!
A deafening roar echoed throughout the area.
The ground shook and piles of dirt rose up.
A thick cloud of dust covered the surroundings.
“Kuh... ... .”
The Assassin Army, hiding in the ground, let out a faint groan and appeared.
The internal injuries must have deepened, and his complexion was dull.
The poisonous energy that had been suppressed by now was probably running wild like a colt let loose of the reins.
“How did know?”
“I took a rough picture. “I didn’t know you were even learning Jidungong.”
Jidungong (地遁功).
To put it simply, it was a martial art that involved digging into the ground and hiding in it.
This was often practiced by warriors whose business was infiltration or assassination.
If you add to this the method of slowing down breathing and pulse, you will not be able to detect the presence of an uninhabited island subject with relatively good senses.
“I never thought it would be possible to completely erase all traces and hide underground in such a short period of time.”
“You don’t know. “How much effort I put in to make that possible.”
“I don’t really want to know.”
“.......”
Although he was saying it as if he was teasing, he was actually quite surprised on the inside.
If my judgment had been a little late, it would have been me who suffered.
In the worst case scenario, I might have lost a leg.
I adjusted my grip on my sword and narrowed the distance to my opponent again.
“Let’s get this over with now. execution.”
“......?”
“Still, there is a sentiment that it was once a death sentence, so we will let you go with as little pain as possible.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“There is such a thing.”
I swung my sword widely from left to right with a smile on my face.
At the same time, the world in sight was split in half.
Quadddddd!
* * *
“Whoa...” ... .”
I sighed deeply and broke the central axis of the formation.
The labyrinth pain was lifted and the foreign sensation that was irritating the skin disappeared.
As I came out of the forest that had become a mess, a man and a woman who were waiting outside came running towards me as if they were flying and asked how I was doing.
“Are you okay?”
“yes.”
“What about Yeoksalgun?”
“Gotcha.”
I answered, waving the wrapping cloth in my left hand.
Inside the wrapping cloth was the supply and demand of the Yeoksalgun.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Thanks to you, it worked out well.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“We must subdue the remnants. “After I finish everything, I plan to go see someone with the supplies of the Assassination Army.”
“......?”
“We have already achieved the feat of defeating a demonic cult leader’s disciple, so shouldn’t we find a way to utilize it?”
* * *
We successfully completed the operation and returned to Cheonho Guesthouse.
As he shouted something to the next room, a Hwangjangdae warrior came out and headed straight to the outside of the guesthouse.
Si-jin sat across the table from Hwang Bo-jin and waited while drinking tea.
In an awkward atmosphere, when the tea in the stomach began to flow back, the door was opened and Sohyeongeom appeared.
“...!”
Hwang Bo-jin looked at me and So Hyeon-geom in turn with an expression of disbelief.
I guess I never expected that Sohyeongeom would come here immediately after receiving my call.
I stood up and politely bowed.
“I’m sorry for suddenly contacting you like this.”
“It’s okay. “You have shown me so much sincerity that I can easily overlook the slightest rudeness.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
The bribe was worth it.
So Hyeon-geom naturally pushed Hwang Bo-jin away and took a seat opposite me.
Hwang Bo-jin, who was rolling his eyes, soon grasped the atmosphere and left the room as if running away.
“So, why did you ask to see me?”
“There is one thing I would like to suggest.”
“proposal?”
So Hyeon-geom, who had pushed the tea cup used by Hwang Bo-jin to the corner of the table, poured tea into a new cup and tilted his head.
Maybe it was because I was speaking after showing off my enormous wealth not long ago, but there was a hint of anticipation in my eyes that I couldn’t hide.
I was aware of Hwang Bo-jin, who was close to the door and eavesdropping on the conversation, so I wrapped a blanket around me.
“Actually, I caught a big one by chance.”
“He’s a big guy. “Who are you talking about?”
“I am the third disciple of the Demonic Cult.”
Push!
Tea water spurted out from Sohyeongeom’s mouth.
I slightly leaned forward to avoid the splashing water droplets.
Sohyeon-geom, who was coughing violently as if he had heard the news, stared at me and asked.
“Disciple of the Demonic Cult?!”
“yes. A person with the nickname ‘Reverse Salgun’. Do you know?”
“I know. How could you not know?”
“Then the story will be quick.”
“How on earth did you catch him? “He must be a master who has reached the level of hwagyeong.”
“I got some help from my group. “I used the power of poison and Jinbeop to trap and weaken my opponent.”
“You did a great job. But can you prove it?”
“I have taken care of his supplies. The people who moved together will testify. If the testimony comes from a disciple of Plum God Sword and the daughter of the head of the Tang family, it would have some credibility. We also robbed his base of activity and collected several items that could serve as evidence.”
“That alone won’t be enough.”
“Actually, I’m worried about that. Since the two people participated in the subjugation operation, there is a possibility that people may have doubts.”
“You caught a disciple of the Demonic Cult Master, but there’s no way to prove it to people?”
“That’s right.”
“I think I know what you’re asking me to do.”
“.......”
“Are you saying you want to take advantage of my position?”
“For his contribution in subduing the disciples of the Demonic Cult. “Would you like to share it with me?”
“It’s an appealing offer.”
Sohyeongeom’s eyes narrowed.
At first glance, it seemed like an offer where I was losing money, but in reality, it wasn’t so.
The world was bound to revolve around personal connections.
Even if you make the same contribution, the reward you can receive varies depending on who praises it.
Even if you subjugate a demon in the same way, it was the same as a swordsman from a local military officer receiving a reward, and a swordsman from the Old Daemun faction receiving a promotion.
The benefit of having Sohyeongeom as a supporter would not be compared to the loss of sharing the credit with him.
“This is not the right place to have such an important conversation. “I happen to know a quiet and pleasant winery. Would you like to go there?”
“great.”
Sohyeongeom took the lead.
When he opened the door, a startled Hwang Bo-jin stood with his back against the wall and swallowed dry saliva.
He seemed unable to understand why the atmosphere was so friendly.
Sohyeongeom and I treated him like he didn’t exist and left the guesthouse.