Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 113

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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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#113

“It’s a person, not fish.”
While the two men continued their peculiar fishing expedition, Hyeolpung Saja found himself surrounded by four dogs, bickering with all of them.
“Look at that shiny scalp! Just like your head, Seok-san!”
“At least I’ve still got a few strands left!”
“You’re the one who did this to me!”
The four dogs sat with their haunches planted firmly on the ground, looking up at the encircling Hyeolpung Saja with expressions of utter bewilderment.
Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“Remarkable, isn’t it? Just by looking at their faces, I can tell exactly what they’re thinking. Dogs that communicate their feelings to humans through expression—they must be the cleverest dogs in the world!”
“Yeah. Clever and completely hairless.”
At Do Pyeong-su’s remark, Seo Seok-san issued a command to Kkot-nim-i.
“Kkot-nim-i. Go fetch a bottle of Oseong Wine.”
Surprisingly, Kkot-nim-i, whose ears had perked up, bolted away without hesitation.
“Jang-su, you bring a bottle of water.”
Jang-su kicked off the ground and ran.
Not long after, the two dogs returned with the Oseong Wine and water, exactly as Seo Seok-san had instructed.
“See? Aren’t they smarter than you are, Pyeong-su?”
“That’s nonsense! If being smart meant losing all your hair, then you should eat it yourself! It won’t make much difference to your head either way!”
Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“It makes a difference. At least having some sense means you can hide your lack of it.”
“Master!”
Gal Ma-pyeong came running toward Hyeolpung Saja, calling out at the top of his lungs.
“So you went fishing and caught something, did you?”
“Strike the river once and dozens would float up. What a waste of time.”
As Do Pyeong-su clicked his tongue in disapproval, Gal Ma-pyeong arrived before him, breathless.
“Go Seo-bang caught a person!”
They went fishing in the river—and caught a person?
“You mean he caught a fish as big as a person?”
“No! He literally caught a person!”
Just then, Go Seo-bang came running with someone slung across his shoulders. From the long hair draped like seaweed over his shoulder, it appeared to be a woman.
“These fools said they were going fishing for carp, so why’d they bring back a useless person? Can’t exactly roast a person and eat it.”
Seo Seok-san leveled a reproach at Do Pyeong-su for his comment.
“When someone’s been pulled from the water, isn’t the first thing you ask whether they’re alive?”
“Well, they brought her here on their shoulders, so she must be. If she were dead, would they have bothered carrying her all this way?”
“Oh! Did you take medicine or something, Pyeong-su? You’re suddenly making sense.”
“I can hear her pulse—it’s faint, but beating.”
“There it is. No way you could actually get smart.”
While they traded barbs, Jang Man-dok examined the woman.
“Difficult to save, is she? Can’t fix her myself? Of course she’ll die if I leave her as is—even I can tell that! Too much bother to treat? Fair point; no point buying trouble. Seo-bang, take her back to where you found her.”
“What? You want me to take her back?”
“Yes. Don’t create a corpse at the estate. It’s obviously a suicide from a failed love affair.”
“But she’s still alive right now….”
“Then fix her yourself.”
“How could I…? If the magistrate found out I dumped her back, he’d be displeased.”
Do Pyeong-su flinched and shot a sidelong glance at Go Seo-bang.
“This fellow knows how to persuade us. But this isn’t my affair.”
Do Pyeong-su neatly passed the burden to Jang Man-dok. Yeon Geum-hong took the woman from Go Seo-bang’s shoulders.
“Since it’s come to this, let’s try treating her. Whether she lives or dies is her fate.”
Though Jang Man-dok wore an expression of clear annoyance, he had no choice but to treat her on account of Geom U-bin.
“Take her to the Underground Cultivation Chamber first.”
Since Geom U-bin wasn’t using it, the Underground Cultivation Chamber was currently vacant.
Inside, every drug and instrument needed for treatment was perfectly prepared—a precaution taken in case anything happened to Geom U-bin. Now, an unexpected person would benefit from those arrangements.
Only after laying the woman on the bed did her appearance become clear.
She appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties, and her pallid face bore a beauty that would be striking anywhere.
Once Jang Man-dok had assessed her condition with his eyes, he began to remove her clothes.
Only when nothing but undergarments remained did Do Pyeong-su realize his assumption about suicide had been wrong.
“The wound on her flank is a blade cut.”
“That dark bruising below her chest—that’s from a palm strike.”
Jang Man-dok flipped the woman over to examine her back.
“There are wounds on her back too? Should we count her as a Murim martial artist?”
“If she’s still alive despite injuries like these, her martial arts must be quite exceptional.”
Do Pyeong-su’s brow furrowed.
“Am I the only one who thinks suicide would’ve been better?”
Seo Seok-san grinned.
“If this woman is being hunted, then there must be hunters, yes?”
“Obviously.”
“What happens if they find this place?”
A smile crept across Do Pyeong-su’s lips, mirroring Seo Seok-san’s expression.
“They’ll be masters for certain—not common assassins or street rabble. We’ll finally get a proper taste of combat. Hehehehe!”
Yeon Geum-hong looked at the two of them as if watching thoughtless children.
“Grow up, you fools. Still talking about combat experience? Look at this.”
Yeon Geum-hong grabbed the limp woman’s shoulder and pulled it back to expose her back.
“See these wounds? There are three large marks with red traces radiating outward. Does that bring anything to mind?”
Do Pyeong-su and Seo Seok-san both spoke the same name at once.
“Samji Hyeolhwa!”
“Exactly. The Moyong Clan’s secret finger technique. But that blade cut on her flank doesn’t look like the Moyong Clan’s sword technique at all. Which means someone else launched a coordinated attack alongside them. The Moyong Clan wouldn’t have joined hands with the evil factions, so it must be another orthodox faction—”
“What’s there to fear from orthodox faction upstarts?”
“We can handle the whole Murim Alliance coming at us. But aren’t you thinking of your brother?”
“His martial arts have reached the ascendant stage by now.”
“This isn’t about martial power. Think about it—what if we truly became enemies of the Murim Alliance?”
Seo Seok-san spoke as if in pain.
“The peaceful life we share with him would end.”
It wasn’t the Murim Alliance itself that frightened them, but rather the peace of Oseong Jang-won that would shatter because of it.
Do Pyeong-su spoke up.
“Then should we just bury her somewhere and pretend this never happened?”
“And if your brother hears about it?”
There was no guarantee the secret could be kept.
“So what do we do?”
“We have to treat her—what choice do we have? Why did those two have to bring back such a burden anyway?”
With no choice left, Jang Man-dok began treatment. The patient was far from an easy case.
She bore injuries from palm strikes and finger techniques in five places, eight broken bones, and the blade wound on her flank was severe.
Having spent too long in the water was itself sufficient reason for death.
After Jang Man-dok worked with utmost dedication on the treatment, Do Pyeong-su spoke to him.
“Man-dok, just do the bare minimum. Do it thinking she’ll die regardless.”
But Jang Man-dok was a man who gave his all to saving life just as he did to taking it.
Strange hours of hope mixed with dread drifted quietly through the Underground Cultivation Chamber.

***

“How much have you prepared?”
Dong Baek-jae answered Dong Seong-bang’s question.
“Two hundred silver taels in an envelope.”
“That’s considerable.”
“This money won’t swing the larger outcome, but there’s no need to earn the displeasure of the Murim Alliance’s lord.”
“So the legendary nicknames they gave to Jeong Pil-seong—’the Money Worm Cheon-choong’—must be true.”
“Even so, we’ve come this far. Once our Dongsi Doga becomes blood-sworn allies of the Murim Alliance, our path forward will be secure.”
With the Murim Alliance as a formidable backing, no one would dare look down on Dongsi Doga.
Even the Hyeolpung Faction in Zhejiang Province had become cautious around Dongsi Doga because of the Murim Alliance.
“Ga-ju, the Elder has requested to go out.”
At the subordinate’s voice from outside, Dong Seong-bang’s expression grew puzzled.
“The sun’s setting—where does he intend to go?”
“He wishes to drink Oseong Wine, the pride of Hangju. What should we do?”
Dong Seong-bang’s face darkened.
To drink Oseong Wine, one had to go to the Oseong Pavilion, and someone would inevitably need to accompany him.
“I shall go myself.”
“What a tiresome man.”
Still, the name Murim Alliance could only make the Dongsi Doga seem infinitely small.
Dong Baek-jae sent a subordinate to the Oseong Pavilion to make a reservation, then headed toward the reception hall where Jeong Pil-seong awaited.
Jeong Pil-seong was already waiting outside the reception hall.
“I didn’t realize you were a drinker, Jeong.”
At dinner, he’d merely sipped the wine offered—Jeong Pil-seong was not one to care for drink. That he would ask for Oseong Wine was unexpected.
“How can I recommend something to others if I don’t know its taste myself?”
Jeong Pil-seong answered with perfect naturalness and took the lead.
Since the Dongsi Doga estate lay on the outskirts of the city, they took a carriage to the Oseong Pavilion.
The Oseong Pavilion, standing proudly as Hangju’s finest establishment, was dazzling in its splendor and crowded with patrons befitting its reputation.
They had to circle the pavilion twice before finding a place for their carriage.
The subordinate he’d sent ahead to make reservations was waiting at the main gate.
“Master Dong. The reservations are full—there are hardly any rooms available.”
“What do you mean?”
“The VIP chambers are either occupied or fully booked. The only room left is the smallest one.”
“How can we seat such an honored guest in a small room? Fetch the manager for me.”
Dong Baek-jae called for the manager, but the sub-manager Jeon Sang-guk appeared instead. Dong Baek-jae had visited the Oseong Pavilion several times before and was acquainted with him.
“An important guest has arrived. Clear one of the VIP chambers for us.”
Jeon Sang-guk’s expression grew troubled.
“I apologize, but the VIP chambers are fully booked for the next ten days.”
“How can you shame the Dongsi Doga like this?”
“Would I deliberately do such a thing? A hundred times over I would wish to oblige, but I cannot offer a room that is already reserved. Please, use one of our regular chambers instead. Four of you will find it spacious enough for a pleasant evening.”
A glance at Jeong Pil-seong’s face showed his displeasure was mounting.
“For now, please use a regular chamber. I shall speak with the manager again.”
They had no choice but to enter the most remote room on that floor. Though spacious enough for four guests to enjoy themselves comfortably, as Jeon Sang-guk had said, it could hardly satisfy Jeong Pil-seong, who had always been received as a dignitary.
When a courtesan in elegant blue robes entered to take their order, Jeong Pil-seong spoke.
“Go fetch the manager. Tell him we’ve come from the Murim Alliance.”
Wherever one went, the Murim Alliance was a universal trump card.
Sure enough, less than a quarter hour passed before Manager Ha Seok-mun entered the room himself.
“I had no idea such distinguished guests had arrived. My apologies.”
In Zhongyuan, those who operated an establishment had to be mindful of two powers above all: the court and the Murim sects.
With the Murim Alliance at the very apex of that world, Ha Seok-mun’s spine had no choice but to bend.
“If word spreads that the leader of the Murim Alliance was slighted here, it would not reflect well on the Oseong Pavilion.”
“Allow me to inquire further. I shall return shortly.”
Once Ha Seok-mun left the room, he released a long, weary sigh.
They’d arrived without reservation and demanded a VIP chamber outright, yet the name Murim Alliance alone forced him to grovel and comply.
Ha Seok-mun summoned his sub-manager, Jeon Sang-guk.
“Is there any reservation we could cancel?”
“Among those who reserved VIP chambers today, the one we might most reasonably ask for understanding is Old Master Jeong from Tiancan Silk Merchants.”
“We have no choice then. Approach him for understanding and—”
Before he could finish, Se-hwa’s voice cut through.
“We cannot be discourteous to a paying guest simply because an uninvited visitor has arrived.”
Se-hwa and Gwak Bong appeared, walking side by side down the corridor.
“But Miss Se-hwa, the other party is the leader of the Murim Alliance. The Murim Alliance wields considerable influence not just over martial artists, but over merchant associations as well. Maintaining good relations with the Murim Alliance is—”
“If the Murim Alliance had made a reservation, I would receive them with proper courtesy. But to arrive without one and demand we surrender a reserved VIP chamber? That is tyranny. The Oseong Pavilion will not tolerate such conduct from the Murim Alliance, nor from the Imperial Palace itself.”
“Then you are saying we should turn away the leader of the Murim Alliance?”
“I will speak to them myself. Manager, please attend to our other guests.”
“As you wish. Still, do be careful. It is best not to offend the Murim Alliance unnecessarily.”
“I understand.”
Before entering the room, Se-hwa spoke to Gwak Bong.
“Keep your temper in check. If you can’t manage it, wait outside.”
“I’ll be as docile as a well-behaved puppy.”

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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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