Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 106

Captain Wang Seon-bok, having received word of the trouble, came rushing over. Five men armed with swords and blades followed close behind him.
Because water pirates appeared so frequently, large passenger vessels and cargo ships routinely hired armed guards to accompany them.
But terror flooded their faces because they knew their five guards were no match for a master deploying the Deungpyeongdosu.
The captain, having pushed through the murmuring passengers, stopped at a considerable distance from the group.
“Esteemed guests, might I inquire what brings you to grace this humble vessel?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“Why else would we be here? We came to board.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Where does this ship go?”
“It exits the Jeondan River, travels by sea, and arrives at Haenyeong Port.”
“Excellent! That’s exactly where we need to go! Why are you staring? First time seeing martial artists board a ship?”
Someone answered, “Yes!”
“You wish to be passengers?”
The captain asked carefully, then followed with an even more cautious statement.
“In that case, you would need to pay the passage fee…….”
Frightened though he was, he could not abandon his duty as captain.
“Of course we’ll pay.”
Do Pyeong-su, having answered, looked at Jang Man-dok, and Jang Man-dok’s gaze turned toward Seo Seok-san.
“I don’t have any money.”
“You don’t have money? You didn’t bring it when the boat sank?”
“I brought a bedroll, didn’t I?”
“Yeon Geum-hong, what about you?”
“Liquor. What about you, Pyeong-su?”
“Provisions.”
When Jang Man-dok, under scrutiny, conveyed with his expression “First Aid Medicine Box,” the face of the Bloodwind Four Lions contorted in fury.
“So the bundle with money sank along with the ship? I told you to grab the important things!”
“That’s exactly what I did—grabbed what mattered.”
True enough: for them, money had always ranked at the very bottom of necessary supplies. Even now, with some newfound appreciation for its value, it barely held that lowest position.
“I…… if you haven’t the passage fee, I’m afraid you’ll have to disembark…….”
It was then that Geom U-bin asked.
“How much is it?”
“For Haenyeong Port, it’s one hundred copper coins per person.”
Do Pyeong-su bellowed in outrage.
“What kind of robbery is that!”
Seo Seok-san asked quietly.
“Is it expensive?”
“At the very least, we should call it expensive. Isn’t haggling the foundation of any negotiation?”
“This is a high-class passenger vessel, sir, which is why the price is as it is.”
“Bring it down!”
Seo Seok-san asked again.
“If they bring it down, will you have the money to pay?”
“Not a coin.”
“You’re haggling when you don’t have a single coin!”
“You fool, if we keep haggling, they’ll eventually give it away for free.”
As they argued over something that made no sense, Geom U-bin drew a pouch from his garment and paid the passage fee.
“You had money on you, didn’t you, senior?”
“Traveling with disciples without emergency funds? I’d sooner leave behind my liver than leave behind a reserve—that I cannot do.”
“Ha-ha-ha! Our senior is truly a genius!”
“This is all because you sank the boat in the first place!”
“You should have kept the money safe, Seo Seok-san!”
Though the ship had sunk long ago, their grievances lingered. Geom U-bin, about to leave with the captain, asked him a question.
“How long until we reach Haenyeong Port?”
“We should arrive by morning tomorrow.”
“Huh? That long? Should’ve just gone by land.”
“You’re hardly one to talk—you came running at this boat like a dog spotting a bone.”
“What? A dog?”
“Why? Should I have said you were worse than a dog?”
Yeon Geum-hong shoved both Do Pyeong-su and Seo Seok-san to the side.
“Enough, you two. Are you really going to put on such a pathetic display in front of all these people?”
They made their way toward the stern of the boat, where passengers never ventured. A rope strung across the rear prevented anyone from boarding that section.
“I’m… sorry, but this is a restricted area for passengers.”
One of the guards who’d come with the captain hesitated as he spoke. Do Pyeong-su’s face darkened at once.
“Are you trying to stop us?”
“No… not at all.”
The guard quickly untied the rope. A man who earned his bread with a sword knew that Murim martial artists were a strange breed, full of unpredictable types.
Thanks to the guard’s unwillingness to risk his life over such a trifle, they secured an empty space without difficulty.
“This is pleasant and quiet.”
“Shall we make a wager?”
At Do Pyeong-su’s question, all three of the Bloodwind Four Lions spoke in unison.
“Don’t!”
“Without even hearing what it is…”
Just then, a door leading to the hold below burst open, and a girl of about six came scurrying out.
The child hung her face over the railing and began to retch.
Geom U-bin was thinking whether he should pat her back when a man in his thirties appeared through the warehouse door.
“Annoying brat, getting seasick like this.”
The rat-faced man grumbled impatiently, waiting for the child’s retching to end.
Neither the girl in her tattered, patched clothes nor the shabby man beside her looked as though they could afford even a hundred coins for passage.
After the girl finished vomiting—bringing up only yellow bile—she turned to the man with a desperate expression.
“Uncle, do I have to go? Can’t I not go?”
The man’s reply to her plea was cold and harsh.
“It’s already decided.”
“Uncle, please! I’ll work hard from now on, eat very little, do anything you ask—just please don’t send me to Dongyeo Suche!”
“You stupid girl! If you go there, you’ll wear fine clothes and eat fine food, living in comfort!”
His harsh words caused tears that had been gathering in the girl’s eyes to finally spill down her cheeks.
“That’s a lie, isn’t it? They said if I go to Dongyeo Suche, I’ll never come back.”
“Who told you such nonsense?”
“They said I’d work all day long, and after a few years I’d be sold again or someone there would… eat me up.”
The man, aware that Geom U-bin and the Bloodwind Four Lions were watching him intently, tried to soothe the girl.
“That’s all just rumors. Listen, wait just ten days. Your uncle will come back for you.”
“No, I don’t want to go. I want to go home. Please?”
At last the man exploded.
Crack!
As the girl staggered and fell, the man’s curses rained down on her.
“Listen when I speak nicely! You haven’t had a beating in a while and now you’re getting bold!”
“I… I’m sorry.”
That she dropped to her knees and wrung her hands immediately showed this was a familiar situation for her.
“Get down there! One more word—”
The man shouting suddenly fell silent as Yeon Geum-hong stepped forward.
“What?”
The man quickly sized up the four of them. Yeon Geum-hong had come forward alone; the other four were simply watching.
“How much did you get for selling your niece? A silver coin? Two?”
He probably didn’t get more than that.
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Unless you want a hole in this boat, get out of my way!”
As he spoke, the man flashed the sword hanging at his waist. It was a threat that often worked in back alleys, but Yeon Geum-hong was a different kind of person altogether from those he usually dealt with.
Yeon Geum-hong’s gaze shifted to the trembling girl.
“Little one.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to go with this man?”
The girl said nothing, only looking back and forth between Yeon Geum-hong and the man.
“I… I…”
“Never mind. There’s no way someone filled with nothing but fear can make a proper choice.”
Yeon Geum-hong turned to the man.
“I’m not a garbage collector, but you need to be swept away.”
“What kind of crazy talk is that!”
Yeon Geum-hong was just reaching for something when there was a flash, and the man went flying with a long cry.
It was Jang Man-dok who’d kicked the man’s backside and sent him hurtling into the river.
“Man-dok, why did you step in?”
“I don’t even know how it happened……”
Do Pyeong-su, who’d hurried over and read Jang Man-dok’s expression, spoke for him.
“He’s saying he lost his head. Why’d you let your guard down like that?”
“Anyone who abuses a child deserves to die.”
Yeon Geum-hong’s gaze, which had been fixed on Jang Man-dok, turned toward the man thrashing in the river.
“Well, garbage disposal complete.”
The man who’d fallen into the river might survive if he were an excellent swimmer, but from what she could see now, he was nowhere near seal-level competence.
The girl was merely startled—she felt no sorrow at her uncle’s absence.
Watching the girl, Yeon Geum-hong scratched her head with a rueful expression.
“I’ve gotten myself into needless trouble.”
Geom U-bin approached.
“Indeed. That’s not like you at all, Elder Sister.”
If Geom U-bin were to involve herself in such matters, Yeon Geum-hong would be the one to warn her against making unnecessary complications.
Geom U-bin crouched down to meet the girl at eye level.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m…… Sam Jang-nyeo. The First Daughter.”
“Hmm? Your name is actually Jang-nyeo?”
“Yes. I’m the eldest.”
She’d never heard such a thoughtless name before. With the surname Sam as well, you could take Sun Wu-kong along and it would be a perfect set.
“Don’t you have parents?”
“They passed when I was very small.”
And she still looked young enough as it was.
“Any other relatives? Besides your uncle who’s taking a swim?”
Sam Jang-nyeo shook her head. Yeon Geum-hong had just thrown her only guardian into the river, which left them in an awkward situation.
“I’ll handle it.”
Geom U-bin asked at Yeon Geum-hong’s words.
“How?”
“There’s someone trustworthy nearby.”
“Nearby here?”
“Yes. In Anhui Province.”
“But Anhui Province is an entirely different province.”
“I can return before the boat reaches Haenyeong Port, so don’t worry.”
They couldn’t very well bring Sam Jang-nyeo along on the water pirate subjugation, so for now, Yeon Geum-hong’s solution was the best they had.
Geom U-bin pressed two silver coins into Sam Jang-nyeo’s hand. The girl’s eyes widened at the sight of such wealth.
Though still young, she understood the value of money, which was a relief at least.
“This sister is a good person, so you’ll be all right.”
“Hehehehe! You’re one to talk, big brother.”
Yeon Geum-hong was easy to please.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
Yeon Geum-hong took Sam Jang-nyeo in her arms and left the boat. It was strange to see Yeon Geum-hong shirk no effort for another’s sake, yet pleasant to watch.
Do Pyeong-su’s voice came as they gazed contentedly after Yeon Geum-hong’s departure.
“That brought back old memories. More than ninety years have passed, and she still remembers—seems like those memories weren’t very good ones.”
“You remember too, and if you remember, sharp as you are, how could Geum-hong forget?”
“What happened to Elder Sister back then?”
Young Hyeolpung Saja couldn’t even imagine it, which made them all the more curious about the early days.
Seo Seok-san’s eyes grew distant as he took his time answering.
“Do Pyeong-su, Jang Man-dok, and I were all raised in the same orphanage. Geum-hong would play with us sometimes back then, but she wasn’t an orphan like us.”
“She had parents?”
“No. She had a guardian—someone like the uncle Man-dok just kicked into the water. We in the orphanage seemed better off than she was. Eventually, though, Geum-hong came to live in our orphanage too. Only she knows the full details of what happened.”
Everyone carries painful memories.
“I see. But why did Master Jang act like that? What do you mean, just like that?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“That man Man-dok always had a short fuse when it came to children. This was probably about twenty years ago. There was a place called Song Ga-bang—one of many Evil Path sects in the Murim. We were involved in some demolition work there, fighting over redevelopment rights. While we were tearing down a guest house, an accident occurred where four children were buried alive. Well, it wasn’t really an accident at all.”
“It wasn’t an accident?”
“There were young beggars living there to escape the winter cold, and Song Ga-bang tore the building down knowing they were inside. The beggars hadn’t heeded the warning to leave. So Song Ga-bang ended up receiving a visit from Man-dok.”
“A visit……?”
Jang Man-dok’s eyes slipped away from Geom U-bin’s gaze. He’d become adept enough at lying to have reached the stage where he could hide his expression.
But he still hadn’t found a way to silence Do Pyeong-su’s loose tongue.
“That day, Song Ga-bang disappeared. Yeon Geum-hong says it’s because of her past memories, but I can’t understand why Jang Man-dok is making such a fuss over something the children did.”
Perhaps that too stemmed from Yeon Geum-hong—she burdened by her own memories, and Jang Man-dok tormented by his memories of her.
While they spent their time at the stern of the boat, it was slowly drawing near the ferry dock.
Those arriving at their destination moved about busily, while those departing gathered together in clusters along the landing.
The boat’s mooring at the modest ferry dock was not a long one.
As they stepped toward the bow, a man dressed in unusually ornate clothes caught their attention.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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