Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 183

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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 183

That’s when the identity badge hanging from his waist appeared. The badge contrasted sharply against his black robes in brilliant gold, so there was no way Dang Seol-an could miss it.
The club that had been about to crash down froze in midair. Every official who enforced the law carried an identity badge.
But only one institution issued badges in such unmistakable gold.
Because of that, Dang Seol-an stopped moving and stared hard at Dan Jeong-cheol’s badge.
“You said you came from Beijing, so you wouldn’t be seeing this patch for the first time.”
“Is, is this really the Imperial Guard……?”
Dan Jeong-cheol thrust the badge in front of Dang Seol-an’s face.
“Does it look forged to you?”
Thud!
The club that Dang Seol-an had dropped struck his own head and clattered to the ground. But Dang Seol-an couldn’t even feel the pain.
In the provinces, it was rare enough to even catch sight of the Imperial Guard, so people didn’t understand how much power they wielded.
But once you served as an official in Beijing, you came to feel the Imperial Guard’s might constantly.
Even a Rank 5 Official wouldn’t dare treat a newly inducted Imperial Guard agent cavalierly.
The Imperial Guard had the authority to investigate officials, so no administrator could escape their power.
High-ranking officials trembled before them, making a mere constable no more than a fly. If Dan Jeong-cheol killed Dang Seol-an right here, there would be ways to smooth it over.
Dang Seol-an dropped to his knees, his head bowed.
“I’ve committed a grave crime against the Imperial Guard, sir.”
Trembling violently, Dang Seol-an was a perfect specimen of those who bully the weak and cower before the strong.
“You there.”
The constable Sang Seo-myeong, addressed by Dan Jeong-cheol, bowed his waist hastily.
“I await the Imperial Guard’s orders.”
Dan Jeong-cheol’s index finger pointed at Dang Seol-an, who lay prostrate on the ground.
“What are the charges against this man?”
“That is…….”
“Just tell me what you saw and felt.”
Sang Seo-myeong considered for a moment, then arranged his features seriously and spoke.
“He struck a man, so that’s Assault Crime. He was rude to the Imperial Guard agent, so that’s Disrespect to a Superior. He demanded money from an honest vagabond—is that attempted bribery or extortion……?”
“Why did you leave out the Extortion Crime against the honest vagabond? And since he failed to discharge his own duties, Dereliction of Duty also applies.”
“I see.”
“With these criminal charges hanging over him, he should naturally be taken to the magistrate’s office, shouldn’t he?”
“Of course!”
Sang Seo-myeong pulled binding rope from his waist. This newly promoted constable was thick-faced and arrogant, caring only for money—there was no camaraderie among his peers.
“I’ll verify with the magistrate’s office how this man is punished afterward. Make sure you relay my words to the Provincial Governor as well.”
“I’ll convey your message.”
“Please, just forgive me this once! It’ll never happen again!”
But Dan Jeong-cheol ignored Dang Seol-an’s pleas with a wave telling them to take him away quickly.
Kang Chan-sik, watching as Sang Seo-myeong dragged Dang Seol-an off, spoke.
“The honest vagabond owes you a debt.”
“A debt? Truth be told, there was no need for me to step in at all, was there?”
“Honest or not, a vagabond is still a vagabond. He would’ve been at the mercy of constables like that one for quite some time, so it is a debt.”
Just then, a faint growl came from Dan Jeong-cheol’s stomach.
“You haven’t eaten yet?”
“I’ve been looking for a decent restaurant, actually.”
“Is there something particular you’d like?”
“On a chilly day like this, spicy malatang is perfect.”
“How fortunate. There’s a restaurant nearby with exceptional malatang. I haven’t eaten either, so let’s go together.”
“Good. Eating alone never tastes right.”
“Director, you just…….”
Kang Chan-sik cut off Wang Bong-seok’s words hurriedly.
“What are you standing around for instead of heading to Buk-hyeon Street? You have work to finish.”
“Why not share a meal with your colleague?”
“No. Those who don’t work shouldn’t eat either. Go on. Now.”
He couldn’t very well bring Wang Bong-seok along. The man couldn’t handle spice, and if he had to eat malatang again right after just finishing some, he might become the first person in history to die from it.
“Yes, I’ll go finish my work right away!”
As Wang Bong-seok disappeared from view, Kang Chan-sik retraced his steps.
“But is that Identity Badge really made of gold?”
“Heavens, if it were solid gold, wouldn’t that be something? It’s merely copper with a thin gold coating. Would you like to examine it?”
“Let’s have a look. When else would I get the chance to see the Identity Badge of someone with such rank in the Imperial Guard?”
The two men crossed slowly through the city streets of Hangju, exchanging idle remarks as they went.

***

Ak Cheon-gil’s hair was white and long, his beard of the same color thick and unkempt. No one seeing this elderly man in his seventies would have recognized Ak Cheon-gil at all.
Perfectly disguised, Ak Cheon-gil entered an inn called the Gwanyeol in Taiyuan, Shaanxi Province.
Jeom So-i, hurrying out to greet the guest, asked if Room 2 was vacant.
“My son and daughter-in-law—they passed away two years ago this season. We came to travel here where we once stayed together…….”
No matter how sharp Jeom So-i’s memory might be, he could hardly recall guests from two years past. But the mention of deceased family stirred an irresistible compassion in him.
“I see. Yes, as it happens, the room is available.”
Of course it would be available—he’d been certain of it. But just to be safe, he’d killed off children who didn’t even exist.
Once in the room, Ak Cheon-gil examined the space and the view from the window, then felt beneath the bed.
His hand caught an envelope wedged into a gap in the frame. Inside was a letter, folded twice over.
As Ak Cheon-gil read, the corner of his mouth lifted.
“So there’s still imperial blood that hasn’t fled to the Palace. And here, in Hangju, so far from the capital itself.”
It was still a considerable distance from where he stood, but that didn’t matter. Even if they’d run to the ends of the earth, if imperial blood was there, he would find them and kill them.
The officials and imperial relatives responsible for his father’s death, the Emperor himself—they would all feel the terror of Ak Cheon-gil’s approach, death drawing ever closer, until at last they died.
Ak Cheon-gil burned the letter and left the room.
“If I set out now, I’ll catch the night mist. The children will like that.”

***

Gal Ma-pyeong rushed to the window and checked the street from which the sound had come, then exhaled in relief.
Two carriages had collided, passing each other. One person had tumbled from a carriage and lay rolling across the ground—and he was grateful for even that.
‘But then—where are my master and mistress?’
The plush, fine bed, the spacious room, the lavish furnishings—all indicated this was a premium inn.
No small county town would have such an establishment. This could only be Shenyang. They’d arrived in the very city with the most people he needed to avoid on this entire journey.
Gal Ma-pyeong rushed from the room. A long crimson-carpeted corridor opened before him.
Jeom So-i was just ascending the stairs, so he called out urgently.
“Where are the two people who brought me here?”
Jeom So-i’s eyes widened at the abrupt question. He had no idea.
“Damn it! They’re not causing trouble somewhere, are they?”
It felt less like he’d lost two small children left by the water’s edge and more like he’d lost two who’d already fallen in.
Gal Ma-pyeong tumbled down the stairs and dashed toward the entrance, then halted abruptly.
The first floor had dining halls on both sides of the corridor, and on the left, he saw Do Pyeong-su and Eun Bi-yeon.
Gal Ma-pyeong glanced quickly around. Nothing was broken, no one was dead. The sixteen or so people eating there looked content.
Since nothing seemed amiss, Gal Ma-pyeong offered silent thanks to whatever divinity might be listening.
“Master, Mistress. So you’re here.”
Gal Ma-pyeong approached with a smile but stopped short beside their table. That chill. The coldness radiating from Eun Bi-yeon and rebounding from Do Pyeong-su washed over him entirely.
The two sat turned away from each other, eyes fixed only on the menu, their atmosphere unmistakably tense.
“I, I was getting a bit hungry too, so this works out. What will you two have? The…….”
As Gal Ma-pyeong was speaking, the food arrived. They had already placed their order and were simply studying the menu.
The portion was sufficient that no further order seemed necessary. More than sufficient, really.
It was staggering. It took two servants four trips back and forth before all the ordered dishes finished arriving.
The great round table was packed full, and with nowhere left to set anything, dishes were stacked on top of other dishes.
‘Who was supposed to eat all this?’
Do Pyeong-su picked up his chopsticks and asked.
“Are you all right?”
‘Quick to ask, aren’t they.’
“Yes. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”
“Let’s eat.”
Gal Ma-pyeong lifted his chopsticks and silently prayed this meal would end without incident.
But there was no chance this meal would pass peacefully in such an atmosphere.
The spark was trivial. As Do Pyeong-su and Eun Bi-yeon moved their chopsticks, among the countless dishes, they both reached for the same spinach from the same bowl.
“I grabbed it first.”
“How petty.”
“No give and take at all.”
Gal Ma-pyeong tried to intervene.
“There are plenty of other dishes…… The grilled fish here is much more delicious…… ”
Bang!
A bowl shattered suddenly, and spinach scattered in all directions. Do Pyeong-su and Eun Bi-yeon, who had caused the damage, were armored with Inner Strength, so the fragments couldn’t pierce them.
But……
Splat!
A stalk or two of the scattered spinach struck Gal Ma-pyeong across the bridge of his nose. First it stung, then it grew damp. The sensation of cooked spinach sliding down his face felt like a thick stream of snot running down.
“Yes, well, this seems fine enough. What’s the harm if I wear a little spinach? Ha ha!”
He brushed away the spinach that had reached his chin and spoke with deliberately forced cheer. He should have stopped there. But those two had no intention of doing so.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bowls burst in rapid succession, and food scattered everywhere. This time Gal Ma-pyeong too had raised his Martial Force, so he was spared the indignity of being covered in food.
The sight of bowls shattering and food flying up and scattering was like fireworks made of cuisine.
Gal Ma-pyeong simply gave up and enjoyed the spectacle.
“Quite a sight. Where else would you see something like this?”
With arms folded, he watched the food fireworks with leisure. But his mood was far less pleasant when the time came to settle the bill.
“What? Nine silver coins?”
“Yes. The food, the broken bowls and table, and three chairs…… I haven’t included the meals of the guests who fled.”
Nine silver coins for a single meal! Even the Emperor couldn’t eat like this.
‘Well, I brought enough money…… I hope it’s enough.’
After settling the bill, Gal Ma-pyeong hurried out of the inn after the other two. If they fought like that, they could just avoid seeing each other, yet they always traveled together even while keeping some distance.
‘Like children squabbling.’
As Gal Ma-pyeong searched for a way to reconcile them, a good idea occurred to him.
“Master!”
“What?”
“When we return from the Northern Ice Palace to the estate, we won’t know what might happen. Why not buy some gifts now?”
“Gifts? That’s something girls do.”
“What do you mean, girls?”
Eun Bi-yeon, walking a good distance ahead, bristled.
“You should buy a gift for Hang Ju-sa-ung! He actually likes small gifts like that. Isn’t his treasure box filled with little gifts from you two?”
“That’s true. Hehe…… Should I fill his treasure box with my gifts?”
Gal Ma-pyeong spoke to Eun Bi-yeon.
“And you should pick up a gift for your teacher too. It’s been a while since you’ve gone home.”
If they shopped for gifts together, their relationship would improve.
“Ice Mirror is all I need.”
Indeed, there was no gift greater than Ice Mirror at the Northern Ice Palace. Though it was something Eun Bi-yeon had stolen and was returning.
“No street vending allowed here!”
When he turned his head, a burly man’s flipped apple stand sent apples soaring into the air.
One apple that rolled away struck the tip of Do Pyeong-su’s foot and stopped.
“Hey! You can’t just throw away my livelihood like that!”
“Are you defying the Seol-yeong Faction now? Don’t you know we’ve been delegated authority by the Moyong Clan? To defy us is to defy the Moyong Clan.”
“No, no, sir! How could I dare…… I’ll move my stand at once!”
The street vendor didn’t even bother gathering all his spilled apples before hoisting his stand and scurrying away.
Gal Ma-pyeong, watching this, clicked his tongue.
“Liaoning Province hasn’t changed in thirty years, or so it seems.”
“What about Liaoning Province?”
“This place is the Moyong Clan’s domain. Being located so far in the borderlands, they weren’t even counted as part of Zhongyuan before. Thanks to the Moyong Clan becoming blood allies of the Murim Alliance, Murim martial artists now come and go fairly regularly, and commerce has developed.”
“So Liaoning Province grew because of the Moyong Clan?”
“They’ve made considerable contributions. The side effect produced situations like this.”
Gal Ma-pyeong gestured toward the men chasing away merchants under the guise of maintaining order.
“Are those men from the Moyong Clan?”
“Not direct subordinates. But even in Shenyang alone, there are over ten factions operating under the Moyong Clan’s influence. They all trust the Moyong Clan and shelter the tiger.”
“Shelter what?”
“Nothing.”
“Boy, finish what you’re saying.”
Gal Ma-pyeong quickly pointed elsewhere.
“How about there?”
Gal Ma-pyeong’s finger pointed to a jade crafts shop.

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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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