Chapter 153: There Is No One In The World I Can Trust (3)
Chapter 152 – There Is No One In The World I Can Trust (3)
When he paused for a moment, the cold sensation touching his flank dug into his flesh.
“Can’t you hear? Walk.”
“Where to?”
“Walk the way you were going.”
The bearded man growled lowly.
He seemed a bit dumbfounded by Namgung Cheon’s unexpectedly calm attitude.
While moving his steps, Namgung Cheon opened his mouth again.
“I need to know where we’re going to walk.”
“No need to know. Just walk, you bastard.”
“I am walking, you bastard.”
“Can’t you read the room?”
“I read the room, that’s why I’m walking.”
“This crazy…”
“And don’t call me bastard, you bastard. Am I your child? Are you my dad?”
When he glared and argued, the bearded man showed a blank expression for a moment. His expression seemed to say, ‘What kind of fellow is this?’
Well, he had seen this kind of reaction often since his past life, so it was not new.
Thinking about it, he felt it was a bit unfair, so the bearded man gritted his teeth and said.
“Then why do you call me bastard, you bastard? I am older than you.”
“My bad, you rotten bastard.”
“This bastard… what is your identity?”
The moment the bearded man flared up and questioned, Namgung Cheon turned around abruptly and slapped him across the face.
Slap!
To let one’s attention drift during a conversation. What a fellow who lacks the basics.
He slapped the cheek so hard that the bearded man’s face turned away, and his front tooth broke and flew out.
“I told you not to call me bastard, you bastard.”
The bearded man’s eyes rolled back.
“You son of a…!”
In that instant, Namgung Cheon saw the internal energy rising from the bearded man’s dantian stretch along the meridian to the hand holding the dagger.
Namgung Cheon immediately reached out and executed a grappling technique.
Step, step, thud!
The bearded man, whose Quchi acupoint was tapped, had his arm snap, and at the same time, he dropped the dagger. Namgung Cheon, who snatched the falling dagger, stabbed it into the bearded man’s neck in the blink of an eye.
Stab!
“Keugh, keugh!”
As the bearded man, whose neck was suddenly pierced, knelt down spraying blood, the courtesans hovering around screamed and scattered.
The bustling street of the red-light district became clear in an instant.
Instead, the peddler who was walking ahead, the two women, and a kid remained in the street.
Looking now, the kid was not a kid. He merely had a small build but looked to be around his forties.
“You bastard!”
One of the women quickly unleashed a palm strike. Namgung Cheon quickly pulled out the dagger from the bearded man’s neck and slashed it vertically upward.
Whoosh!
Along with the flash of light, blood was sprayed. At the same time, the severed arm of the woman bounced into the night air.
“Aaaaarggh!”
The woman screamed and collapsed.
She was one of the women who had approached the peddler to look at the ornaments.
The other woman stood at a suitable distance with a pale face, looking conflicted.
The woman who lost her arm let out groans filled with despair.
The peddler also swallowed hard and rolled his eyes here and there.
Namgung Cheon’s face was splattered with blood from the two knife slashes.
He did not purposely avoid the splattering blood.
Because behaving this way would look much more cruel and terrifying.
Again, memories of his past life came back. During the days when he was always running away, quietness actually came as anxiety.
When something happened like this and a slaughter unfolded, he realized he was standing on the boundary of life and death, and instead felt alive.
While repeatedly throwing and catching the dagger, Namgung Cheon opened his mouth in a dreary voice.
“There aren’t many chances. I rarely forgive those who point a blade at me. Come on, I will spare the one who spills first.”
“I-I don’t know what you are talking…”
The moment the peddler opened his mouth, Namgung Cheon turned around abruptly and threw the dagger.
Whoosh, stab!
The dagger, flying in an instant, pierced the peddler’s eyeball and embedded straight into his brain.
Thud!
The peddler, who fell forward like a log, did not move again.
“I told you there aren’t many chances.”
As Namgung Cheon opened his mouth again, the remaining woman and the kid-like small man watched with pale faces.
In the next moment, the woman and the kid knelt down at the same time and shouted.
“I will tell you everything I know!”
“P-Please spare my life!”
In that instant, Namgung Cheon ran like the wind and cut the woman’s neck in a single sword stroke.
Slash!
“Keugh!”
The woman, whose neck was half-torn, fell over with mouthfuls of blood.
Namgung Cheon looked down at the woman’s corpse and murmured coldly.
“Where do you think you’re playing tricks?”
The woman who begged for her life was raising her internal energy while thoroughly hiding her killing intent.
Probably, if Namgung Cheon had approached, she would have attacked with a single-strike-to-kill momentum.
If it weren’t for the First Sight Skill-Breaking Eyes, it would have been a slightly dangerous situation.
Meanwhile, as Namgung Cheon responded like a ghost, the small man completely lost his will to fight.
Namgung Cheon glared at the man and said.
“Now, recite.”
* * *
“Name Park Chun-sam. He is working as a server at the Martial Worldg Tavern in Wuhan. Age twenty-two. It feels like we’ve almost reached the main body… can you find the connecting link?”
At Namgung Cheon’s words, Black Line, who was walking along the manor with him, nodded.
“Of course. He is someone who has a connection with a person on the Martial Alliance side.”
“Oh, it comes out right after I say it.”
“I am the Obscurity Society Leader, after all.”
Black Line replies, squaring his chest proudly.
Even so, Black Line actually had to look at Namgung Cheon in a new light.
It was just yesterday that he stepped forward, saying he would reveal the background of the decentralized cells.
Yet, in less than a full day, he brought back the connecting point.
There seemed to be some commotion in Yunmeng County, but it is not a big problem.
Since he wore a human-skin mask and the opponent is thoroughly operated in decentralized cells, rather than revealing Namgung Cheon’s identity, they would pay more attention to hiding their own identities.
In other words, it means Namgung Cheon understands the ecology of decentralized cells well.
This is a boldness that can only be seen in experts with rich experience in the Jianghu, but a mere cadet did it.
‘Amazing. Well, I was even more surprised when I first noticed the Lord’s identity in the first place.’
The more he knows him, the more amazing the man is. That is the Lord.
“Don’t just look at me with such creepy eyes, speak. Where is the connecting point?”
“Ah, yes. He is an informant employed by the Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion under the Dharma Protection Hall.”
“Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion? Who is the current Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion?”
“Im Tae-pung, who was once called the Iron Hero of the Seeking Sword.”
“Im Tae-pung… what a grand name. Wait, is it that guy?”
An image of a person flashed in his head.
“Do you know him?”
“Well, roughly.”
“Indeed. In the past, he active as a member of the Blue Wave Corps under the Dharma Protection Hall, but after suffering a leg injury, he switched to office work and became the Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion.”
Namgung Cheon nodded.
Actually, the person who made one of Im Tae-pung’s ankles useless was none other than himself.
‘As I remember, that guy’s martial arts weren’t bad either. Back then he was a squad leader, but now he is a pavilion lord.’
Anyway, if this is the case, does the background of the lecher indeed connect with the Martial Alliance?
The Alliance Leader, that despicable old man, is someone fully capable of driving the Namgung Clan to ruin in this manner.
‘Anyway, utilizing the Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion on this occasion wouldn’t be bad either.’
The People-Protecting Pavilion is an institution under the Dharma Protection Hall that receives reports on the public security status of various regions of the Central Plains and handles them appropriately.
Depending on the situation grasped by the People-Protecting Pavilion, they would dispatch the Blue Wave Corps or the Iron Blood Squad.
Namgung Cheon, who finished his thoughts, raised his head.
“So where is Im Tae-pung now?”
“Naturally, he works at the People-Protecting Pavilion. When he leaves work in the evening, he stays at the Im Family Estate.”
Namgung Cheon stopped his steps.
“First, I need two pieces of information.”
“If it is information related to the Martial Alliance, just speak.”
“First, I need to know what the current headache is in the Guilin Branch of the Martial Alliance.”
The Guilin Branch is a place quite far from Wuhan.
The reason Namgung Cheon mentioned Guilin was precisely because the location of the Demonic Pill Valley was near there.
When an unexpected place name was brought up, Black Line tilted his head but answered.
“No problem. What is the other information you need?”
“Information on the Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion. Detailed enough that I can know how many times he farts a day. Is it possible?”
“Of course. This is the Obscurity Society. Until when should I prepare it?”
“Right now. Because I plan to infiltrate Im Tae-pung’s house tonight.”
Black Line asked with a surprised expression.
“Tonight?”
“Why? Is it difficult?”
“Yes, infiltration is difficult. Even so, he is a figure in a key position of the Martial Alliance, so they keep double guards in the estate. The martial arts level of the gate guards is also not that easy.”
“Then it will be difficult to enter without getting caught.”
“Actually, it is possible. There is a way to enter without a soul knowing.”
“What is it?”
Black Line smiled.
“Did you forget? The fact that this society is the Obscurity Society. There is the Path Under the Lantern, is there not?”
“Ah…!”
“There is a Path Under the Lantern connected inside the Im Family Estate.”
Oh, then I withdraw my words telling you to stop digging tunnels.
Namgung Cheon nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Good, then let’s infiltrate tonight.”
“Yes, I will also drop a hint to the internal contact.”
“Oh, even a contact. Do we have to exchange passwords or something like that?”
This was also something he wanted to try.
Pausing for a moment, Black Line nodded.
“Of course, we do that much.”
“The Obscurity Society has indeed planted many people everywhere.”
Namgung Cheon nodded and asked.
“One more thing. Could you happen to obtain some decent medicine?”
“If it is decent medicine… do you happen to mean poison?”
“Yes.”
“Poison takes some time. Because there are tricky aspects to distributing it.”
“Why?”
“Because this is Wuhan. Wuhan where the Martial Alliance stands.”
“Then I will think about this and instruct you again. First, the information.”
“Information is right away. Follow me.”
After finishing his words, Black Line turned and began to lead the way.
Entering the Leader’s room, he took out a book from the bookshelf and inserted his finger into a hole inside.
After a moment, as he injected a certain amount of internal energy, a rattling sound was made, and the mechanical device operated.
The bookshelf slid aside, and stairs were revealed behind the wall.
After the two entered the stairs, Black Line inserted his finger into the hole in the wall again and injected internal energy, and the bookshelf closed with a sound.
Still, because night-glowing pearls were embedded in the stairs, it was not very dark.
As they opened the iron gate in the basement and entered, a large room lined with bookshelves appeared.
“…!”
A scent of old ink wafted strongly.
Namgung Cheon was inwardly surprised by the enormous amount of books.
‘No wonder rumors circulate that the Obscurity Society is the immortal society.’
The ledgers filling the bookshelves must all be information about the Martial Alliance.
It was also the reason why no unorthodox faction dared to touch the Obscurity Society easily.
Holding the night-glowing pearl prepared at the entrance in his hand, Black Line slowly moved his steps and found the bookshelf for the Guangxi Province area.
Among them, he found the Guilin Branch, took out a book, opened it, and began scanning it quickly.
“The headache of the Guilin Branch… ah, here it is. First, whether it is because the mountain terrain is unique, it seems a mountain stronghold called the Black Mountain Stronghold was created not long ago. The Black Mountain Stronghold plunders the common people traveling through that region, so the resentment is high.”
“How long has that been?”
“It is said to be from about six months ago. If the report rose to that extent, signs must have appeared since about a year ago.”
Namgung Cheon nodded.
“Next.”
“Hmm. A sect was created in Guilin, and it is growing rapidly.”
“Is that a problem?”
“It is. If it grows to the extent that it looks down on the Guilin Branch despite not being a sect joined to the Martial Alliance. Furthermore, if other sects joined to the Martial Alliance cannot easily touch it, it will be a headache from the Alliance’s perspective. Moreover, Guangxi Province is no different from a border region.”
“So is that sect oppressing the existing sects joined to the Alliance?”
“It seems so. As they continue to expand their business sites, the existing sects seem to be losing power.”
“What is the name of that sect?”
“It is called the Three Peaks Sect.”
“The reason why the Three Peaks Sect suddenly grew?”
“It is said to be the only sect that blocked the attacks of that Black Mountain Stronghold I just mentioned. While the existing sects lost time and again, only the Three Peaks Sect defeated the stronghold’s martial artists. So Guilin’s escort agencies also rely entirely on the Three Peaks Sect.”
“Hmm. It smells a bit… let’s pass that for now and next.”
“It is in the same context… for that reason, Guilin’s Flying Leap Sect requested support from the Alliance.”
“So?”
“It was judged as not urgent, so it is on hold.”
“That sect must have also taken charge of escort convoy guard duties in the past, right?”
“It must have. Although they would have lost it all to the Three Peaks Sect now.”
“Where do Guilin’s escort agencies mainly travel?”
“The escort goods always go in various directions. East, west, south, north, anywhere.”
“Surely that’s the case. It’s perfect.”
Namgung Cheon snapped his fingers.
“Now I just need to meet the Lord of the People-Protecting Pavilion.”