Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 124

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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 124

He had dared to call his master, the Bang-ju of the Sect, by a name as common as a dog’s, yet he couldn’t bring himself to object.
“I, I don’t know where Master is located either, sir.”
“But you could find him, couldn’t you?”
“If I send a carrier pigeon to headquarters, the Bang-ju will surely receive it one way or another.”
“Then send one right now and tell him to come to Oseong Jang-won. We’ll find him.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The words came without thought.
Noh Dae-sul, the Bang-ju of the Sect, held a rank that even the League Master of the Murim League couldn’t order about carelessly. Yet somehow, Hang Ju-sa-seon seemed so confident that it would work anyway.
After confirming that So Gi-cheon had sent the carrier pigeon, the three returned to Oseong Jang-won with one important request.
While waiting for Noh Dae-sul, they had searched for the secret liquor but ultimately found nothing.
“Now I’m actually starting to seriously consider breaking Go Seo-bang’s legs.”

***

“Master!”
So Gi-cheon, who had been eating the rice he’d begged for, jumped to his feet when he saw Noh Dae-sul lifting the straw mat and entering.
After sending out all the young beggar children who had been eating with him, So Gi-cheon sat facing Noh Dae-sul.
“Hang Ju-sa-seon is looking for me?”
“Yes, sir. He seemed very urgent.”
“Any idea what he wants?”
“None.”
“Is there anything unusual happening in Hangju lately?”
“Apart from the prosperity of Oseong Jang-won’s business, there’s nothing particularly remarkable.”
“Oseong Jang-won’s business?”
“Yes.”
So Gi-cheon explained what he knew about Oseong Jang-won’s operations.
“It’s unlikely those old women would summon me over business matters.”
“Old women?”
“No, that’s not… I mean, which of the Hang Ju-sa-seon came?”
“All three except Cheon-eum-gwi.”
“Only three?”
“Yes. And they asked that if you come to Oseong Jang-won, you find the three of them without Cheon-eum-gwi knowing. Do you think there’s some discord among the four of them?”
“Those bastards have been quarreling their whole lives—nothing new about that. All right. Keep quiet about my coming to Hangju unless something else comes up.”
“But, sir… the children have already seen you.”
Six young beggars knowing meant that within three hours, half of Hangju’s population would know of Noh Dae-sul’s visit.
“Never mind. Just say I never came.”
“Understood.”
“Come with me to Oseong Jang-won. Since they said we mustn’t be noticed by Cheon-eum-gwi, you call out those three for me.”
So Gi-cheon, who had frequent access to Oseong Jang-won, was easily granted entry.
Word of So Gi-cheon’s arrival reached Yeon Geum-hong, Do Pyeong-su, and Jang Man-dok immediately.
So Gi-cheon visited Geom U-bin, and the three met Noh Dae-sul outside the estate.
The three led Noh Dae-sul to a dense reed thicket that flourished along the riverbank.
Once seated in the middle of the reed bed, no one outside could spot them. Noh Dae-sul, realizing the three were trying to avoid Seo Seok-san’s eyes, tensed considerably.
‘What’s happened among these people?’
Gravity hung thick in the air—the kind that suggested lives hung in the balance.
“What brought you to call for me?”
Yeon Geum-hong asked.
“You haven’t given up drinking, have you?”
“I’ll give up my life before I give up my drink. But why do you ask?”
“We have liquor at our estate that needs to be found.”
“Liquor?”
“Yes. We need you to find that liquor.”
That the Bloodwind Four Lions’ conversation would center on liquor had never crossed his mind.
He’d entertained hundreds of possibilities and run through countless theories on the way, but this subject had never entered his calculations even once.
“Is that the only reason you called me all the way here? To find some alcohol?”
“Yes.”
Noh Dae-sul’s voice exploded through the room.
“This is no jest! You summon the Bang-ju of the Sect, and for what—to hunt down a bottle? There’s barely a soul in this world who knows the Bang-ju of the Sect as well as you three!”
Noh Dae-sul’s eyes gleamed like a seven-year-old child’s before an unwrapped gift.
“So… what exactly is this alcohol I’m meant to find?”
Do Pyeong-su shook his head.
“We don’t know what kind.”
“You don’t know?”
“That’s right. Find any alcohol at Oseong Jang-won that isn’t Oseong Wine or Saegiuju, and you’re done. Think you can manage it?”
“Hah! Think I can manage? You call me all this way and ask such a question? Still, there are two problems.”
“Only two?”
“First—if the search has to cover the entire Oseong Jang-won, it’ll take time. I’ll grant I’m obsessed with alcohol, but I can’t exactly abandon the Bang-ju’s duties for a bottle… though I could. Still, if you could narrow the search area a bit, I’d appreciate it.”
“We can narrow it down to the Brewery, the Stone Quarters—or rather, Cheon-eum-gwi’s residence—and the quarters of Go Seo-bang, who is Cheon-eum-gwi’s personal attendant. The Brewery has the highest probability.”
“That shouldn’t take long at all. Four days should be plenty. Maybe even three, but let’s say four to be safe.”
“So you’re saying four days and you’ll definitely have it? You mentioned two problems—what’s the second one?”
Noh Dae-sul grinned.
“Every commission requires payment, doesn’t it?”
“You want us to pay you?”
“If I tried to take payment from the Bloodwind Four Lions, I’d be the biggest fool alive.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Word of the Oseong Wine has spread across all of Zhongyuan.”
“The Oseong Wine—we can do that. There are three of us, so three bottles should suffice.”
Noh Dae-sul sprang to his feet.
“You’d use the Sect’s Bang-ju for such a pittance! I never knew the Bloodwind Four Lions lacked conscience this much.”
“You’re looking for conscience in the Bloodwind Four Lions?”
“Ten bottles.”
The three exchanged glances.
Three months—or far longer—of enduring Seo Seok-san’s arrogance could be bought off with ten bottles of Oseong Wine. It was a bargain worth accepting a hundred times over.
“Done.”
Noh Dae-sul clenched his fist, but Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“If there’s a success fee, shouldn’t there be consequences for failure?”
“I don’t fail.”
“They say even monkeys fall from trees sometimes.”
“Though every monkey in the world might tumble to the ground, when it comes to alcohol, this old man never stumbles.”
Yeon Geum-hong, studying Noh Dae-sul intently, spoke.
“Sounds like you’re not confident.”
“What are you talking about! I’ve said more than once that I’m completely confident!”
“You’re not confident, so you won’t accept responsibility for failure. A commission where we succeed and win ten bottles of Oseong Wine, but fail and lose nothing? What do you take the Bloodwind Four Lions for?”
Yeon Geum-hong turned to Do Pyeong-su and Jang Man-dok.
“I thought he had some knowledge of spirits, but he’s just a common drunkard. Let’s use the dog as planned. He boasts of his keen sense of smell, but a real dog’s nose would serve us better.”
Noh Dae-sul’s face flushed crimson.
“You can insult the Sect’s Bang-ju all you like, but I won’t tolerate doubt cast on this old man’s ability when it comes to alcohol!”
Noh Dae-sul drew out the Striking Cudgel, the symbol of the Sect’s Bang-ju.
“You’re not serious about fighting us, are you?”
“I haven’t lost my reason that badly!”
Noh Dae-sul extended the Striking Cudgel toward Yeon Geum-hong.
“I’ll wager this!”
“That’s the insignia of the Sect’s Bang-ju. Is it really something you can stake on a bet?”
“The Striking Cudgel is the second most precious thing in this old man’s life—but alcohol is more precious still. I’ll stake it without hesitation! I swear I’ll find that bottle and wipe that smug look from your faces!”
Yeon Geum-hong took the Striking Cudgel from Noh Dae-sul.
“I hope that in four days’ time, I’m handing back this cudgel and ten bottles of Oseong Wine to you. But if you fail… what use do we have for this club?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“It looks sturdy enough for stirring the hearth. Might be a touch short for pouring spirits, though.”
“If nothing else, it makes decent firewood.”
“Keep it safe—it’s the Sect’s insignia!”

***

“Steel yourself. Just four days to get through.”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, Go Seo-bang nodded with a resolute expression.
“Yes. I will never give up.”
But that resolute expression soon gave way to worry.
“Still, Master, are you really sure it’s alright? The three masters have looked so grim lately. I’m afraid they might just grab me and break my legs if things go wrong.”
“They won’t cross that line.”
Seo Seok-san swallowed the words “probably” that had been on the tip of his tongue. The thought struck him that those three might actually do it.
‘I should warn them again.’
With that thought, Seo Seok-san dug up an alcohol jar he’d buried in the ground of the brewery.
The moment he opened the small jar—large enough to fill about four bottles—a sharp, acrid reek of spirits wafted up.
The smell alone told him this was liquor unfit for drinking.
After Go Seo-bang grimaced and downed two cups, he left the brewery, and Seo Seok-san returned the jar to its original spot.
‘Is this really safe here?’

***

Once again, Go Seo-bang was brimming with power.
Each time his fists flew and his kicks cut through empty air, the Sound-Breaking Force rang out like a sharp whistle of wind.
“My disciple moves so lightly even today.”
While Seo Seok-san’s face was full of satisfaction, the faces of the three others looked positively ghastly.
Gal Ma-pyeong, O Tong-su, and Se-hwa moved no differently than usual. And that very sameness was the problem.
They hadn’t been running this operation for just a day or two—at this rate, they could predict the outcome without even holding the sparring match.
The sparring was the day after tomorrow, but Noh Dae-sul still hadn’t found the alcohol. If things continued this way, they’d have to endure three months of Seo Seok-san’s boasting without anything to show for it.
“Don’t you think we need to come up with a second plan?”
At Do Pyeong-su’s whisper, Yeon Geum-hong glanced at Seo Seok-san and spoke.
“It seems like we’ll have to.”
Jang Man-dok nodded and fixed a hard stare on Go Seo-bang, who continued his graceful movements.
While they were at the Training Grounds, Noh Dae-sul was searching the brewery.
After his first search, he’d torn through Cheon-eum-gwi’s and Go Seo-bang’s rooms, but found nothing. So he’d returned to the brewery, and this was his third search.
The fact that he’d found nothing but Oseong Wine and Saegiuju so far suggested the alcohol wasn’t in the places he’d searched, but if it suddenly turned up, it would leave a terrible stain on his eighty-year reputation as a drinker.
Then there was the matter of the Striking Cudgel.
He’d entrusted it in a fit of anger, but worry was beginning to set in.
Though he didn’t attach great importance to the position of Bang-ju of a sect, that sect meant more to him than his own withered life.
‘I must find it no matter what!’
Noh Dae-sul searched every corner of the brewery and even crawled along the ground, sniffing. The fragrant scents of Oseong Wine and Saegiuju tempted him, but he was desperate enough to brush even that temptation aside.
And then something caught Noh Dae-sul’s keen sense of smell.
It was a sharp, acrid reek that could never come from Oseong Wine or Saegiuju—the sort you’d catch from cheap white liquor.
‘This is it!’
Noh Dae-sul’s crawling stopped as he tracked down that scent.
It was definitely coming from beneath the brewery.
Looking closer, he could even see signs of recently disturbed earth.
“Hehehehe… so it was here.”
It made sense that it would be hard to find, buried underground as it was.
Noh Dae-sul dug rapidly. The ground was quite hard, but his fingers pierced through it as easily as they would tofu.
Yet even after digging down a foot, no jug appeared.
“Is this not the spot?”
He dug a bit to the side, then further, and further still, eventually digging down three feet, but he found nothing but the scent of alcohol—no jug.
“It was definitely here.”
The fact that it had been here wasn’t enough to satisfy the three Bloodwind Four Lions.
After half an hour of digging up the brewery floor, Noh Dae-sul had no choice but to give up.
When Noh Dae-sul met with the three members of Bloodwind Four Lions, his shoulders sagged with dejection.
“I couldn’t find it.”
“You almost did. It was buried in the ground.”
“If it was buried then, it’s not there now, is it?”
“Give me just four more days—!”
“The sparring is the day after tomorrow. How can you have four days?”
Do Pyeong-su groaned the words.
“At this point, we have no choice but to resort to drastic measures.”
“What kind of drastic measures?”
“Don’t ask me. I couldn’t even find the alcohol.”
Noh Dae-sul spoke with difficulty.
“Then… is there no Oseong Wine at all? Surely, given the effort they’ve shown, three bottles or so…….”
Yeon Geum-hong’s sharp voice cut through Noh Dae-sul’s words.
“There’s no Oseong Wine, and no Striking Cudgel either!”
For Noh Dae-sul, it was the worst possible outcome.
“Now, now, gentlemen, we did find traces, so at least the Oseong Wine…….”
He’d meant to ask for the Striking Cudgel, but without thinking, Oseong Wine had slipped from his lips instead.
Do Pyeong-su turned away coldly and spoke.
“The treasured gift of the Sect Master shall vanish into ash and dust.”

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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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