Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 217

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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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#217

Five youths stood waiting for Geom U-bin’s command, like hunting dogs chasing game into a clearing.
For now, there was nothing in particular to task them with.
Geom U-bin had come this far simply because he wanted to see them.
If he had not met Ma Gun-ja when he was eight years old, his life would have flowed much like theirs.
“Stay here for now. I’ll be in touch soon.”
“We do nothing until then?”
“You haven’t yet mastered the Gwimyeon Mado-beop. I have no use for the weak.”
The five youths were easily provoked.
“We’ll master it soon!”
After parting with them, Geom U-bin left the branch office, and Jang Man-dok emerged behind him.
“Brother, you’ve grown fond of those kids, haven’t you? No, no—it’s written all over your face.”
Geom U-bin was startled at the sight of Jang Man-dok scratching the back of his head.
“You even gave them Spirit Medicine? Are you taking them on as disciples?”
Jang Man-dok shook his head so obviously that anyone could read it. Do Pyeong-su caught his expression and spoke.
“Right, we can’t just take in disciples willy-nilly. It would tangle the genealogy terribly.”
“The genealogy was tangled a long time ago.”
At Geom U-bin’s words, they all burst into laughter.
They traveled slowly toward Oseong Jang-won by boat, not by Lightness Skill.
A boat gliding down the river was a good place for thought. As Geom U-bin leaned against the railing lost in contemplation, Hyeolpung Saja kept their distance.
They all knew that Geom U-bin had grown considerably more thoughtful since deciding to face an unknown enemy.
“About those Sado Ryeon bastards—I don’t think they’ll actually come under that name,” Yeon Geum-hong said.
Do Pyeong-su asked, “Why? The name seemed already decided.”
“Then they’d be fools. They’ve incorporated the Orthodox sects like Hwasan Faction and Mo Yong Clan, but call themselves Sado Ryeon? That’s telling the Orthodox not to come. I’m certain the sects they’ve brought in aren’t just those two.”
Seo Seok-san spoke up.
“Can’t they use the incorporated sects as cover?”
“Use Sect Masters and Lords as cover? More likely they’re moving their forces wholesale.”
“So they might appear under a different name, not Sado Ryeon?”
Though lost in deep thought, Geom U-bin heard every word of their conversation.
“Don’t cling too hard to the name Sado Ryeon.”
“You think the same way, don’t you?”
“We should focus not on the faces appearing now, but on the dark hand lurking behind them.”
“The hand that might belong to the Demonic Cult.”
“We should plan as if it is the Demonic Cult. Since the enemy hides in darkness, Oseong Jang-won must avoid exposure as much as possible.”
Seo Seok-san spoke.
“But they’re probably already watching us. We’ve stirred up trouble in quite a few places without them knowing.”
The Chuyeong Order had come directly to Oseong Jang-won, and they’d appeared at both Sae-oe and Northern Ice Palace.
“What’s already exposed can’t be helped, but from now on we must move covertly. Of course, it’s a difficult problem,” Geom U-bin said.
The current members of Oseong Jang-won couldn’t be changed. Even a brief investigation by the hidden force would expose them.
‘We need to build our strength, but…’
It was difficult and inefficient to face the enemy with Oseong Jang-won alone.
“Don’t think too hastily. This has been building for decades—do you expect the world to turn upside down tomorrow?”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, Geom U-bin smiled softly.
“You’re right. It’s been a while—should we fish and grill some catch?”
Do Pyeong-su was the most enthusiastic.
“That sounds great!”
He leapt over the railing and climbed back up moments later, both hands gripping fish the size of a foot.
After making the round trip four times or so, they had more than enough for five people to eat.
“Just a moment.”
After splitting open the fish and removing the innards, he channeled his Martial Force through his hands, and the meat turned golden brown with a savory aroma.
“With Brother Pyeong-su around, we’d never starve anywhere!”
The praise went to Do Pyeong-su, but the largest fish fell to Jang Man-dok.
“You touched me today.”
“I caught the fish, cleaned them, and grilled them myself?”

“No, not meat. Five children. Jang saved their lives, after all. And you said yourself that saving one life accrues greater merit than building a nine-story pagoda. So Jang has earned that much merit.”
While Geom U-bin praised Jang Man-dok, unease crept over the other three.
‘The master’s favor has shifted entirely to Man-dok!’
As always, Geom U-bin’s partiality was what the Hyeolpung Saja most dreaded.
Watching Jang Man-dok’s face split with delight, the three exchanged the same silent thought: ‘This will pass, surely.’
But as if to prove the old adage that bad premonitions never lie, the partiality continued even after they returned to Oseong Jang-won.
When evening came and dinner was laid out, Geom U-bin did not appear.
“Where has the master gone?”
“I think I saw him heading toward the kitchen earlier.”
“Surely he’s not planning to cook himself?”
As Do Pyeong-su finished speaking, Geom U-bin emerged carrying a tray.
Upon it sat a steaming bowl of Yang-ja-tang. The moment Jang Man-dok laid eyes on it, his mouth fell open—it was his favorite dish.
Seo Seok-san and Yeon Geum-hong, who sat nearest the door, sprang to their feet and received the tray.
“Master, why did you bring this yourself? Did you cook it as well?”
“I learned from her. The disciples showed me such consideration according to my wishes—this is the only way I can repay that kindness.”
“My goodness, how generous! We shall enjoy this gratefully.”
Do Pyeong-su spoke up.
“But why Yang-ja-tang specifically? There are so many other dishes to choose from.”
Broth made from lamb organs, Yang-ja-tang was hardly a dish everyone enjoyed—its distinctive, pungent odor saw to that.
Among the Hyeolpung Saja, only Jang Man-dok truly favored it; the other three ate it when available but thought nothing of its absence.
“I simply happened to have lamb organs on hand.”
Geom U-bin answered without concern, but as the Hyeolpung Saja lifted their spoons, their thoughts ran otherwise.
‘This is clearly on account of Man-dok! He’s showing favoritism!’
Geom U-bin and Jang Man-dok ate their Yang-ja-tang with relish while the three exchanged meaningful glances.
The moment dinner ended, the three convened in the reception hall.
They had gathered with perfect understanding, yet in a way it was almost comical.
So they merely drummed the table with their fingers or propped their chins, feigning indifference, none willing to speak first.
At last, Do Pyeong-su—possessed of the least patience among them—broached the subject almost as if to himself.
“How long do you think the master’s favoritism toward Man-dok will last?”
Fortunately, Seo Seok-san picked up the thread.
“How long? It happened before and it faded, didn’t it?”
Yeon Geum-hong, blessed with a sharp memory, spoke up quickly.
“That was because we all rushed to capture wanted criminals. Otherwise it would have continued.”
“Exactly! If you three had just stayed still back then, the master would have favored me most!”
At the memory, Do Pyeong-su’s fists trembled with indignation.
“Now’s not the time to squabble over the past. We need to navigate the crisis at hand.”
“Crisis? The master merely favors Man-dok a little more.”
Seo Seok-san eyed Yeon Geum-hong with suspicion as she spoke so casually.
“You’re talking innocently now, but planning to scheme behind the scenes later, aren’t you? Like when you secretly made that Saegiuju.”
“I applied proper strategy, and you three merely followed along!”
“In any case, you were scheming to become this master through cunning!”
“So you’re dredging up ancient history now? Who was it that swindled me for drink money sixty years ago and fled?”
“Going back that far, are we? Then what about seventy years ago when you——”
Bang! Crack!
Do Pyeong-su struck the table to clear the air, but misjudged his strength and the table buckled beneath the blow.
“Let’s focus. Stop bragging about your memory.”
Hearing such a rebuke from Do Pyeong-su stung all the more.
“You’re right, we shouldn’t be like this among ourselves. Hmm… the simplest solution would be to eliminate the reason Man-dok is being praised.”
“Kill those five children?”
“That won’t do. Just cripple their martial arts, perhaps. Though of course it’d have to be done quietly.”
“And if the master finds out?”
At Do Pyeong-su’s words, none of them uttered anything like ‘We’d just have to make sure he doesn’t find out.’
Though habit had made them voice it, they could not actually commit such an act anymore.
It was not Geom U-bin’s heart that held them back, but their own.
After a brief silence, Seo Seok-san spoke.
“It’s simple. Man-dok is praised because he trained five masters, isn’t he?”
“Not exactly that reason alone, but not entirely wrong either. And?”
“We do the same. If Man-dok trained five, we could train ten or so, couldn’t we?”
“When I caught one wanted criminal, you two caught two each—it’s about the same.”
“Right. And the master wants to expand his forces anyway, so wouldn’t we be praised for it?”
Even Yeon Geum-hong, who rarely agreed with Seo Seok-san, nodded her head at his suggestion.
“It’s not a bad approach. But where do we find ten people to train?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke up.
“There are plenty of talented individuals in the Orthodox Faction, aren’t there? We could just abduct some of them and teach them.”
“What good would training Orthodox disciples do us? Would they ever come under our command as members of the Bloodwind Four Lions? We’d just be doing the Orthodox Faction a favor for nothing.”
“Seok-san is right. We need to find truly unfortunate souls—people from neither the Orthodox nor the Evil Faction—and turn them into masters. The reason our leader praised Man-dok so highly wasn’t just because five masters emerged, but because he gave those unhappy children meaning in their lives.”
“That sounds complicated.”
“Pyeong-su, you don’t need to understand all the details. Just remember that the people we train need to be pitiful.”
“They don’t have to be children, do they?”
Yeon Geum-hong nodded at Seo Seok-san’s remark.
“That’s true. Not like some old man we’d beat on the back.”
“Beggars are pitiful, but we can’t raid Sect Gae-bang. Oh! Courtesans!”
Yeon Geum-hong glared at Seo Seok-san, who snapped his fingers.
“What? You’re going to bring courtesans here and train them?”
“Why not? Have you ever seen a woman who lived a smooth, comfortable life and then thought, ‘Maybe I’ll become a courtesan’? They’ve all weathered their own storms of hardship. I’m just sending a boat to help them navigate those waters.”
“That’s poetic, but will it actually work? Look at Se-hwa—she’s a rare talent, but it took years to make her useful.”
“That’s fair. Then let’s also search the Heuksahoe along with the courtesans.”
Do Pyeong-su spoke quickly.
“Bandits, then.”
Since the leader of the Nok-rim Seventy-Two Bandits was a member of Oseong Jang-won, securing a steady supply of recruits would be easiest from them.
“When you see it like that, Pyeong-su’s mind is pretty sharp.”
“That’s just cunning. I’ll need to handle things with the Hao Mun.”
Seo Seok-san asked in response to Yeon Geum-hong’s words.
“You’re going to extract people who are already part of the Hao Mun?”
“The Hao Mun’s loyalty is as flimsy as breath—blow on it once and it scatters. There are plenty of people who don’t even know they’re part of the Hao Mun. If we find someone decent, we can just tell the sect master to excommunicate them.”
“Fair enough.”
The plan was set; now execution was the challenge. Seo Seok-san, who had been mulling it over, spoke.
“We should tell our senior about this, right? Doing it in secret would be best, but we don’t have an excuse to leave the estate for long.”
Beneath his words lay an unspoken certainty: any lie they told would inevitably be discovered.
They made their way to Geom U-bin’s chambers late in the evening. She looked up from her book in surprise. “Has something happened?”
“Has something happened?”
“We’ve decided to leave Oseong Jang-won.”
“Pardon?”
Yeon Geum-hong smacked Do Pyeong-su on the back for opening his mouth.
“You and your endless half-baked explanations! Are we running away from home?”
“Please, sit first.”
After they had settled themselves around Geom U-bin, Seo Seok-san began to speak.
“We need to leave the estate for a time so that we can gather talented individuals from across the land.”
“Gather talented individuals?”
Seo Seok-san laid out their plan in detail.
Of course, he presented it as beautifully as possible, and Geom U-bin nodded her head in agreement.

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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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