Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 110

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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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#110

The group dragged the boat toward the riverbank. The people were still waiting there. Signs of food consumption remained, and thanks to that, the number of those who had regained consciousness had grown slightly.
“Jang, can you treat these people? They were poisoned while working in Jeogi-eumcho Field.”
Jang Man-dok’s facial muscles twitched.
“I can treat them, but if the necessary medicinal ingredients aren’t available, then I’ll just write out a prescription. You can get them treated at Oseong Jang-won.”
Jang Man-dok was pulling out brush and paper when turmoil broke out among the refugees.
“I’m telling you, don’t go to Hangju! Do you all have a death wish?”
“We’re going to Oseong Jang-won! Oseong Jang-won will be safe!”
“Even Oseong Jang-won can’t protect us! Don’t you know how vicious those Dongyeo Suchae bastards are? Have you forgotten what happened to everyone who fled to Hangju before now?”
Do Pyeong-su went to the two men who were arguing.
“What’s all this commotion about?”
“A few people are insisting they absolutely will not go to Hangju.”
Six people huddled together in front of the bewildered man.
“It’s your choice whether you go or not, so why are you saying you won’t?”
The man who had been arguing spoke.
“Among those who fled before, several went to Hangju, and they were all captured and died in agony.”
“Why?”
“Dongyeo Suchae has associates in Hangju. From what I hear, they’re the largest Triad in Hangju.”
“That can’t be right. The Hangju Triad is… well, anyway, it’s not important. Go if you want to go, and stay if you want to stay.”
Geom U-bin stopped Do Pyeong-su before he could say more.
“Oseong Jang-won will protect all of you so that no problems arise. Just think about what will happen to you if you stay here. What do you think will become of you starting tomorrow?”
Soon the others also decided to follow along.
“Then let’s have a bite and set out.”
At Geom U-bin’s words, the Bloodwind Four Lions had been catching fish or hunting. This time too, Do Pyeong-su had brought back two tigers.
“That man is definitely a tiger enthusiast.”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s remark, Do Pyeong-su protested that tiger meat was delicious, but no one agreed with him.
While they cooked and ate, dawn began breaking in a pale, hazy light.
The refugees loaded their weary bodies onto the rafts and departed for Oseong Jang-won.
“We’ve been up all night. Should we rest for a while before we go?”
Jang Man-dok refused with a look.
“All right, then let’s depart at once. Is that all right?”
The other three did not object. They could not delay any further, if only out of admiration for Jang Man-dok’s endurance so far.

***

With his subordinates all dismissed, Ji Cheol-seok sat alone, lost in thought.
“Masters who can deploy the Deungpyeong Dosoo, you say?”
The Suryong had been wrecked, Jeogi-eumcho Field had burned, and even the Stone Quarry had been attacked.
Two of Dongyeo Suchae’s operations had vanished in an instant.
His subordinates had been overwhelmed without so much as lifting a hand.
What frustrated him most was that he could not even guess who these sudden intruders were.
“Could it be? No, that’s impossible.”
According to the appearance records his subordinates had delivered, they were not the Bloodwind Four Lions. Three of them roughly matched if forced together.
But the young woman and the boy in his mid-to-late teens bore little resemblance to the Bloodwind Four Lions.
“Even after thirty years, I’m still afraid of them. What a coward I am.”
Not because he was especially timid, but because the Bloodwind Four Lions remained a terrifying force.
“Perhaps it’s time to abandon Dongyeo Suchae.”
Reviewing how Jeogi-eumcho and the Stone Quarry had fallen, they were enemies beyond Dongyeo Suchae’s capacity.
Even if they fought and won, Dongyeo Suchae would be left with nothing but a bare skeleton.
Dongyeo Suchae had made enough enemies through its misdeeds; once their strength weakened, packs of jackals would swarm in from all directions.
“I should order the Dong Hae King to hold them off first. Then I’ll have a certain answer.”

***

After forming his plan, Ji Cheol-seok headed toward the Treasure Vault.
It was where he kept the treasures he had accumulated over the years. He first gathered the box containing the jewels, then sorted the gold ingots, silver coins, and banknotes in order.
The Treasure Vault, which spanned roughly thirty pyeong, held countless treasures, but fleeing with all of it would be the height of foolishness.
Ji Cheol-seok was wise enough to know that the most precious treasure in the world was one’s own life.
Ji Cheol-seok packed everything he needed into four boxes, then stepped outside and called for Dok Du-seong, the Eastern Sea King.
The Suryong Estate, built on a spot overlooking a tributary of the river, was a place Ji Cheol-seok had constructed with great care.
It was an estate too lovely to abandon.
He was drinking tea in the pavilion with a view of the river when Dok Du-seong arrived.
“What business do you have calling me out so early in the morning?”
Though Dok Du-seong was technically his subordinate, the two moved through life together with the ease of blood brothers.
“Have you heard the news—that the Jeogi-eumcho Field and the Stone Quarry came under attack?”
“I’ve heard as much.”
“They’re clearly after the Dongyeo Suchae. They’ll come here next.”
“No doubt about it.”
“Can you hold them off?”
“Of course I can. Since they dared lay a hand on the Dongyeo Suchae, I’ll cut off their heads myself.”
He liked this hot-blooded nature of Dok Du-seong’s. That was why he treated him like a true brother.
“Then go kill them.”
Having sent his brother-like Dok Du-seong to his post, Ji Cheol-seok returned to his office and began plotting his escape route.
If Dok Du-seong held them back, all well and good. If the line broke, he would flee. At fifty-five years of age, it was time to retire anyway.
He had enough wealth to spend lavishly for the next five hundred years.
“This is a decent life, isn’t it.”
Ji Cheol-seok tossed back another cup of wine.

***

“Why did Ji Cheol-seok pin such a false accusation on Master Jang?” Geom U-bin asked.
No one could offer a convincing answer. In truth, three years ago they had already discussed this very point in depth, and even then they had reached no conclusion.
It seemed the only way forward was to capture Ji Cheol-seok himself.
They were traveling upriver along the Dongyeo Canal in a ferry boat.
The desolate appearance of the ruins left in the ferry’s wake grew starker with each passing moment.
“It looks like someone’s come out to greet us,” Seo Seok-san observed.
There was a ship at the spot he indicated.
It looked even larger than the Suryong they had taken. A massive-sailed vessel approached swiftly.
“Good fortune. If we capture those men, we can learn Ji Cheol-seok’s whereabouts.”
“You remain here, Elder. We’ll go first and clean things up,” the Bloodwind Four Lions said.
The Bloodwind Four Lions did not wish the still-young Geom U-bin to stain his hands with blood.
“It looks like around fifty men. Can you make it across in one leap? I could make it.”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, Seo Seok-san let out a scoffing laugh.
“With the Eogi Chungso technique, we could go even farther.”
“Any man who can’t reach that ship simply drowns. No need for the Deungpyeong Dosoo.”
Everyone nodded at Yeon Geum-hong’s words, and Geom U-bin sighed.
“Don’t destroy this boat.”
The Eogi Chungso technique required explosive propulsive power, and the boat they were in was merely a small ferry.
If they exerted full strength, even one person would shatter it to pieces, let alone four.
“All right then. We’ll use the Deungpyeong Dosoo instead.”
“Agreed.”
They made their way to the massive vessel using the Deungpyeong Dosoo. Geom U-bin, who worked the ferry, did not hurry.
He had wanted to resolve this matter himself, but his elders had taken it from him—though he had anticipated as much from the moment he agreed to come with them. So he simply let his teachers have their way.
Without any rush, they reached the ship in less than half a Double Hour.
Geom U-bin launched himself onto the deck.
For the Bloodwind Four Lions, disposing of around a hundred hired swordsmen took less than half a Double Hour.
Yet no corpses were visible on the deck.
Out of consideration for Geom U-bin, the Bloodwind Four Lions had thrown them all into the lower hold—unwilling to show the young man such a gruesome sight.
So the broad deck held only a single hired swordsman with rippling muscles.
“He’s Dok Du-seong, the Eastern Sea King—one of the Five Kings of the Dongyeo Suchae.”
In that brief span, they had already eliminated the swordsmen and interrogated him.
“What of Ji Cheol-seok’s whereabouts?”
They hadn’t gotten that far yet.
“Where is Ji Cheol-seok?”
The kneeling Dok Du-seong wore a bewildered expression.
“Who is Ji Cheol-seok?”
“The head of Dongyeo Suchae! Your boss!”
“But that man’s name is Geom U-bin, isn’t it?”
Do Pyeong-su asked, genuinely startled.
“Not Ji Cheol-seok, but Geom U-bin?”
“I’m as close to that man as a brother would be.”
Crack!
The blow to the back of Dok Du-seong’s head was so forceful he nearly smashed his forehead against the deck.
“If you keep mouthing off like that, I’ll rip your tongue clean out.”
“Damn it!”
Deok So-pal’s nasty disposition didn’t soften from one blow to the skull. But Hyeolpung Saja couldn’t simply tolerate such insolence from a boy.
The moment Yeon Geum-hong’s foot pressed down on Dok Du-seong’s knee, a sharp crack echoed alongside his scream.
“Keep up that tough act. There are plenty more bones to break.”
“N-no, I’m sorry!”
“A spineless wretch.”
Yeon Geum-hong asked again.
“The head’s name is Geom U-bin?”
“That’s right.”
“How long have you known him?”
“About twenty years now.”
“He’s missing his left earlobe, yeah? Split chin, too.”
“You know him well.”
“Geom U-bin my ass. That’s Ji Cheol-seok.”
Do Pyeong-su struck the back of Dok Du-seong’s head.
“Brother nothing. You don’t even know the bastard’s real name. Where is he now?”
“I saw him at Chongdan an hour ago.”
Geom U-bin told them the location of Chongdan that he knew, and Dok Du-seong confirmed it was the right place.
Shrill!
A sharp whistle cut through the thick reeds growing along the canal’s edge.
Since nothing else happened after that sound, it seemed to be merely a signal.
“We should hurry. Ji Cheol-seok might try to flee.”

***

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Deputy Head Deok So-pal’s jaw nearly dropped at Geom U-bin’s words.
“From now on, you’re the head.”
Title aside, a deputy head was little more than an errand-runner for the Five Kings, wielding far less actual power than the true organization head.
“Do you really mean you’re passing the head’s position to me?”
“Why would I lie? But from now on, you are Ji Cheol-seok.”
“But my name is Deok So-pal.”
“Would you rather keep that crude name, or become a head?”
“From this moment on, I am Ji Cheol-seok.”
“And you’re to stay in the Treasure Vault without moving from now on.”
“I’m sorry—but isn’t that absolutely forbidden? Only the head is allowed in there.”
“I’m making a special exception just for you. But for the rest of today, you must not leave that place, no matter what happens.”
“But what about… relieving myself?”
“Handle it inside.”
“You’re not going to kill me for defiling it, are you?”
“If you hold out until tomorrow, I’ll give you half of the treasures inside the Treasure Vault.”
He could’ve promised him everything, but even someone as simple-minded as Deok So-pal would grow suspicious at that.
Of course, suspicion flickered across his face anyway, but the mountain of treasure gleaming before his eyes was enough to make his mouth gape open like a wide basin.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Don’t ask questions. Just do as I tell you.”
“Understood.”
Once Ji Cheol-seok had locked Deok So-pal in the Treasure Vault, he summoned O Do-bong, the Jade Dragon King, and ordered him to mount a desperate defense if enemies attacked.
“I’ll be in the Treasure Vault.”
“Sir?”
“Our treasures must be protected.”
Displeasure flickered across O Do-bong’s face, but with departure imminent, there was no need to concern himself with a subordinate’s feelings.
Ji Cheol-seok sent out the hired men and laborers through the Main Gate, then loaded four boxes onto the carriage waiting at the Back Gate.
He still didn’t know who the enemy was, but one thing was certain: they were masters beyond what Dongyeo Suchae could handle. So it was wise to abandon Dongyeo Suchae cleanly, however regrettable that might be.
Since he’d said he’d be in the Treasure Vault, the attackers would need at least a day to break through it.
In that brief window, Ji Cheol-seok even showed the thoroughness to consider that the enemy might be the Bloodwind Four Lions—changing Deok So-pal’s name to Ji Cheol-seok in the records.
“It’s been pleasant.”
Ji Cheol-seok bid farewell to the estate he’d loved most, then drove the carriage out through the Back Gate.

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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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