Chapter 117: Chapter 117

Jang Geon gave a smirk. He had half-expected it, but it seemed his name was indeed distinctly remembered within the Dark Dragon Corps. After all, he had been entangled with Yang Goeng several times, and had even placed Dark Dragon No. 3 So-hyang in his debt. For an organization dealing in intelligence, it was naturally a name they had to remember.

However, the broker, who had been flustered by Jang Geon’s introduction, soon recalled something and asked.

“If you are Jang Geon, there should be a token you possess…”

Without a second word, Jang Geon pulled out and showed his Murim Alliance medal. Confirming it, the broker nodded to himself as if understanding something and fell in behind Jang Geon. As he moved, the native warrior who had accompanied him moved as well, and seeing that, the hulks forgot that they had been intimidated until a moment ago and shouted in anger.

“Damn it all! Where are you all going! Eldest Brother has passed away!”

“We are going to pursue the culprit, aren’t we. If you organize the situation here, we will catch and bring back the murderer.”

The broker tried to appease them roughly. But the hulks wore expressions showing they could not accept it.

“God dammit! Entrust Eldest Brother’s vengeance to someone else’s hands? We cannot—”

At that moment, the native warrior who had remained quietly silent until now blocked their path and spoke.

“Organize the bodies and wait. Yang Gae-yong’s death is an issue our alliance cannot overlook lightly either. As long as we have agreed to take charge of public security here in Plateau City, we will definitely catch the culprit for you.”

At that fluent Central Plains speech, the hulks shut their mouths. Currently, the greatest power in Plateau City was the native Tribal Alliance. Lacking any decent sect and consisting mostly of merchants and their escort warriors, the Central Plainsmen couldn’t even unite among themselves.

“I will send someone by tomorrow. If no one comes, come to our side and look for me.”

“Who are you?”

“River Rock.”

“Y-you are River Rock?”

Whatever weight that name carried, the hulks wore dissatisfied expressions yet could not step forward any further. Having stopped the hulks like that, River Rock turned to Jang Geon and the broker, gesturing with his chin to take the lead.

Although Jang Geon did not know the exact relationship between this Dark Dragon agent and that native, he could tell they had to move together for now. So without particular words, he led the way toward the secret passage.

The narrow, dark passage was not very long. Because it was not intricately twisted, the three people who entered the passage were able to emerge outside quickly.

Opening a roughly draped partition and stepping out, they found the place appeared to be a small shed. Midnight moonlight was seeping through the weathered wooden planks. Jang Geon immediately crouched down and inspected the floor.

As if it were a place where people hadn’t entered for a long time, faint dust was accumulated on the floor, and there was only one set of footprints atop it. They were likely those of San-san, who had escaped through here. Following those footprints, Jang Geon opened the shed door.

“…We won’t be able to pursue any further by traces alone.”

Outside the door, the streets of Plateau City unfolded. That place was a small storage shed attached to the side of a building. Jang Geon couldn’t help but click his tongue looking at the street. If it had been a forest or field, he could have tracked her, but inside such a city, there were too many human traces. There was no way through simple footprints alone. Ultimately, he had to continue the pursuit through inquiries.

Thinking of the Dark Dragon agent as his first target for inquiry, Jang Geon turned his head. Then he saw the native staring steadily at him and the Dark Dragon agent looking somewhat troubled between the two.

Meeting that gaze, he spoke.

“Jang Geon.”

“…River Rock.”

After that abrupt exchange of names, both men merely looked at each other without a word. Then the Dark Dragon agent between them subtly stepped in and spoke.

“Now, now, there’s no need for such a battle of nerves. Aren’t we on the same side? Let us discuss how to break through the current situation.”

Jang Geon turned to him.

“Why would I be on your side?”

“…Pardon?”

The Dark Dragon agent wore a dumbfounded expression at Jang Geon’s words, then asked cautiously.

“…Didn’t you come upon receiving my request for backup?”

“I didn’t.”

His expression turned strange.

“Then how did you know I was a Dark Dragon agent?”

“Because I see you people often, I can roughly recognize an altered face.”

“…Are you not working with the Dark Dragon Corps?”

Jang Geon shook his head.

“I have worked together once or twice. But not today.”

The Dark Dragon agent’s expression stiffened. It was an expression showing what kind of misunderstanding he had harbored while following Jang Geon out earlier.

“This… the situation is turning strange… I thought you were a master who came to support me…”

“I only arrived in this city this afternoon.”

“Then why were you at Yang Gae-yong’s safehouse…?”

Tilting his head slightly askew, Jang Geon asked back.

“Do you suspect me?”

“…Martial Artist Jang, I know well that you provided immense help to our Dark Dragon Corps in Gamsan and New Sichuan. Earlier, because outsiders were present, we couldn’t talk properly, but since it is just the three of us here, we must share the proper circumstances and discuss countermeasures.”

“Is it alright to speak of the Dark Dragon Corps in front of this person?”

Jang Geon gestured with his eyes toward River Rock. Then Dark Dragon No. 5 shook his head and answered.

“River Rock is on the same side as the Dark Dragon Corps. At least for now. We are cooperating to prevent the rampage of the Tribal Alliance.”

“It seems an explanation of the situation is needed.”

Dark Dragon No. 5 hesitated for a moment. He seemed to be debating whether Jang Geon was truly an ally and what to do to resolve this situation. Looking at him, Jang Geon spoke.

“If you find me unreliable, I can simply leave. As you can tell by looking, the one who killed the two was a woman named San-san, and I merely came to repay the help I received from her today.”

“…Repay?”

“There was a minor disturbance upon entering the city. She mediated it.”

Just then, River Rock cut in.

“I cannot permit you to simply leave. Even if you did not kill them with your own hands, you arrived with the culprit, so you are also a person of interest. Until you prove your innocence, either accompany us or remain inside Plateau City.”

“Where my feet head is my own choice.”

At Jang Geon’s reply, River Rock’s expression hardened. His hand moved subtly toward the axe at his waist, and Jang Geon’s face also settled into calm coldness. And seeing that scene while fretting alone, Dark Dragon No. 5 recalled the intelligence stating Jang Geon’s martial prowess was on par with an Imperial Army commandant, and quickly stepped between the two.

“Very well! Since things have turned out like this, I will formally request your assistance! Although I am a frontier operative with limited authority, being the sole operative in this area, my operational funds are plentiful! Furthermore, if I submit a report to headquarters, our Dark Dragon Corps will prepare a separate reward for you later!”

Looking down at River Rock, Jang Geon merely shifted his eyes to look at Dark Dragon No. 5 and spoke.

“Explain.”

“…Do you know that the eastern natives currently occupy half of this Plateau City? And that they are maintaining public order?”

Jang Geon nodded.

“The quarrel this afternoon was with them.”

“The reason they united is because figures appearing to be Central Plainsmen committed merciless massacres in the east. Judging by the martial might that erased tribes with small numbers, it was certain they were martial artists. The problem is that until the natives formed an alliance and occupied Plateau City like this, no Central Plainsmen knew of such circumstances. Even I had no idea until they swarmed in and set up camp beside the city.”

As his words continued, River Rock, whose expression had been stiff, also let out a small sigh and relaxed his posture. Compared to stepping forward abruptly, he seemed to have been inwardly tense.

“It was truly an absurd story. To mobilize such a martial group, it had to be at least a sect affiliated with the Murim Alliance or an ancient noble clan, but if they were operating beyond Plateau City, there is no way I wouldn’t know. That meant they were an eastern power from the very beginning.”

Jang Geon’s brow furrowed subtly. Massacred natives and unidentified martial artists. Jang Geon seemed to know the culprit behind the massacre.

“…I heard a similar incident occurred in the northwest as well? But Martial Artist Jang stopped it before the matter could grow larger.”

Dark Dragon No. 5 continued as if feeling wretched.

“Yes, it is them. Those who believe in and follow phantoms from over a thousand years ago like gods, a den of demonic practitioners who chew and swallow humans: The Demonic Palace. But the greater problem is that in the eyes of these natives, Central Plainsmen of the Murim Alliance and Central Plainsmen of the Demonic Palace are not very different. They merely look like the same Central Plainsmen. That is why, had Raging Horse not taken the lead to calm them down, a massacre in the name of revenge would have broken out starting right here in Plateau City, and subsequently, the Murim Alliance would have stepped in, sparking a war between the two…”

“Do the Central Plainsmen of Plateau City not know that? It seemed normal commerce was being conducted.”

At that question, River Rock chimed in.

“The alliance handed down a strict gag order to tribesmen. So in the eyes of Central Plainsmen originally living here, there are some who merely think a native sect is being established. Just like there are sects of Central Plainsmen in other cities.”

Jang Geon’s gaze turned to him, then returned to Dark Dragon No. 5.

“It doesn’t seem like this disturbance started just yesterday or today. Did you not inform the Murim Alliance or the Imperial Army?”

“Because the Imperial Army is currently all assembled in Hawaii, I informed only the Murim Alliance. But…”

Seeing his expression, Jang Geon seemed to know what followed.

“There was no reply.”

“Yes. I do not know what happened. To say the message was cut off midway, I used both messengers and carrier pigeons. In the worst case, this means…”

“Someone inside the Murim Alliance is intercepting the messages.”

Dark Dragon No. 5’s eyes widened. Because he had been reaching a similar conclusion as Jang Geon. However, that was based on experiences accumulated over a long career as an intelligence agent and other fragmented pieces of information. It was not something to be stated so intuitively as Jang Geon just did.

However, to Jang Geon, who had already experienced Jo Sang-ryong and the Soaring Eagle Unit operating for personal revenge and profit rather than justice, it was not difficult reasoning.

“Do you know the name San-san?”

At Jang Geon’s question, Dark Dragon No. 5 snapped to his senses.

“Ah, yes. She is a fixer of this Plateau City. They say she left Plateau City in the past and returned several months ago. Because a fixer being a young woman was peculiar, I remember that much… but in truth, she is not someone I know well. It is highly likely a demonic practitioner of the Demonic Palace stole that face and identity. The Hundred Transformation Art of the Demonic Palace is…”

“That face was real.”

“Pardon? No, how could you…”

Asking back, Dark Dragon No. 5 soon realized that he had recognized his own disguise technique and shut his mouth. Jang Geon subsequently turned to River Rock and asked.

“What kind of deal were you trying to make with the deceased?”

“…Land and buildings. Starting from there, we intended to occupy Plateau City in the manner of you Central Plainsmen and lodge a protest with the Murim Alliance.”

“Is that the plan of ‘Raging Horse’?”

River Rock nodded.

“That is right. The Great Warrior believes there is nothing to gain from waging a real war. He intends to keep the tribes here as much as possible, buy time, and settle the boiling atmosphere.”

Gazing quietly at River Rock answering, Jang Geon spoke.

“Your Central Plains speech is very fluent. Are you from the west?”

Flinching in surprise and hesitating, River Rock replied.

“…I lived in Heavenly Empress City when I was young. Thinking that the vast world of my ancestors lay to the east, I broke out of that place.”

“Even if of the same native blood, they wouldn’t have welcomed a westerner so easily.”

“One merely has to prove it with skill. Just as the Great Warrior proved directly before all the tribes.”

Jang Geon’s eyes turned to Dark Dragon No. 5 once more.

“There was a reason only anxiety lingered in Plateau City while accurate information did not circulate. Are this Great Warrior and the Dark Dragon Corps controlling information together, searching for the traces of the Demonic Palace?”

“…Yes. It was to calm the tribes as much as possible and let them know where their true enemies lay.”

Having grasped all the surrounding circumstances up to that point, Jang Geon stood askew without realizing it and covered his eyes with his hand. Seeking to repay a light favor had dragged him deep into the events unfolding—and bound to unfold—between the Dark Dragon Corps, the Murim Alliance, the Demonic Palace, and the Tribal Alliance.

Of course, among the reasons he set his journey toward this Plateau City in the first place was that the demonic practitioners who targeted Jin Seo-ha as she departed for Shaolin Temple had mentioned they came from Plateau City. Although it was quite a while ago, Jang Geon thought that demonic practitioner wouldn’t have lied about that. Because they had intended to kidnap Jin Seo-ha and slaughter everyone inside that inn.

However, that didn’t mean Jang Geon had embarked on this journey with the intention of exterminating all the demonic practitioners of the Demonic Palace. He was originally a wanderer, and a journey without a destination naturally had its path decided by trivial reasons. The journey toward Plateau City was a road carrying just about that much weight. As for demonic practitioners, because they kept crossing his path and causing trouble, he had merely repaid them in kind.

“Tiresome bastards.”

Fiddling with his forehead, Jang Geon muttered so.

Regardless of what thoughts and feelings Jang Geon harbored, the woman named San-san had dealt him a massive blow. Earlier, had Jang Geon not taken control of the atmosphere and recognized the Dark Dragon Corps, he would have had to fight the dead Yang Gae-yong’s organization and subsequently clash with the tribal warriors stepping forward to maintain order.

He had no intention of simply swallowing this blow and backing off.

“Those who guarded the road on the western hill today. Can you find them?”

At Jang Geon’s words as he abruptly raised his head after muttering curses to himself, River Rock answered reflexively.

“Today’s inspection… should have been handled by warriors of the Sharp Stone Tribe…”

“I need to meet those fellows.”

River Rock’s expression turned grave.

“You intend to interrogate the warriors?”

“Seeing them today, the woman who killed your trading partner was close with those warriors. Since we cannot follow footprints, we must start from there.”

Even at Jang Geon’s words, he did not erase his grave expression. He seemed displeased with digging for information from warriors of another tribe. Seeing that, Dark Dragon No. 5 opened his mouth.

“Martial Artist Jang already uncovered the corruption of the Imperial Army commandant in New Sichuan, and dug up the conspiracy of the Demonic Palace eroding the branch and underworld in Gamsan Castle. Besides that, he has worked with our people many times, so he is a martial artist you can trust.”

Pondering that persuasion for a moment, River Rock eventually nodded and spoke.

“The Sharp Stone Tribe is a tribe that hopes to fight and pillage rather than support the Great Warrior. If the situation goes awry, they will try to move in the direction of fighting by any means. Therefore, we must first visit the Great Warrior to report the situation, and after that, when interrogating the warriors, you must do so through me as an intermediary.”

“I shall do so.”

Jang Geon nodded readily. Whatever the situation, it was better than wandering in search of a single person’s footprints amidst the night streets of Plateau City right now. Afterwards, River Rock took the lead, and Jang Geon and Dark Dragon No. 5 followed behind him. River Rock and Dark Dragon No. 5 seemed flustered that a transaction site they thought would proceed smoothly had turned into a murder scene, and was now turning into an investigative pursuit.

And Jang Geon, whose temper had flared for the first time in a long while, had eyes gleaming fiercely cold.