Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 9

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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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Those who do not work shall not eat.
Jang Sam-tae was a thief.
Theft was his trade, and it was the only way he knew to earn money for food. But lately, he’d become absorbed in something else entirely.
Sizzle!
He poured oil into an iron wok and stir-fried vegetables of every kind. With a deft flick of his wrist, he tossed them rhythmically, and the ingredients tumbled together in even waves, releasing an irresistible aroma.
Then he added the meat, enriching the flavor.
After a few more moments of cooking,
Clang!
Jang Sam-tae’s vegetable and meat stir-fry was complete.
When he spooned out the rice he’d prepared earlier and arranged it all on a table, a meal emerged that looked fine enough to sell anywhere.
He gazed at the spread before him with satisfaction, a pleased smile crossing his face.
But then…
Bang!
“This isn’t it!”
He barked the words roughly, slamming his head against a pillar.
For the first time in his life, he’d come to realize something: that he was good at cooking, and that he actually enjoyed it. But that wasn’t the problem at all.
Somehow, he’d completely forgotten his greatest purpose.
Three days had passed since he’d arrived at Jang-won Estate. If he counted the time he’d spent beaten and unconscious, it would be closer to five days.
By now, the black market dealer should have arrived and be waiting.
If he was late, he was dead.
Or rather, if he stayed in this estate, he’d never be caught, and even if the dealer found him, Dan Woo-hyeon was here—so there’d be no danger.
But that wasn’t the point.
Jang Sam-tae was a thief by nature. His dream was to steal other people’s belongings, sell them, and live in luxury and comfort with the profits.
One might say his character was rotten to the core, but wasn’t that how every person wanted to live—at ease, without a care? Who wouldn’t want to live without worrying about money?
“Damn it… hell and damnation!”
Cursing under his breath, he slipped out of there carefully. Soon, Dan Woo-hyeon and Hwa So-mi would be ready to eat.
Since a servant and master didn’t dine together, he went back to the kitchen alone and wolfed down the leftover side dishes with his rice.
Only then did he seem to return to his senses—Jang Sam-tae’s eyes now blazed with an intensity wholly different from when he’d been cooking.
There was a fierce determination in them: escape from this godforsaken place, no matter what.
After a quarter of an hour had passed,
Dan Woo-hyeon’s voice drifted in from outside.
“Are you there?”
“Yes, yes, Master! Of course this wretch is here!”
Anger and conduct are two different things. Jang Sam-tae fawned and groveled before Dan Woo-hyeon, flashing an ingratiating smile. Better not to fall out of favor with this cursed man, or he’d never see daylight again.
At times like these, obedience was everything.
“Today I plan to go fishing with So-mi. We’ll be gone for a while, so mind the house well.”
Whoosh!
At those words, Jang Sam-tae doubted his own ears. He was supposed to follow wherever they went, to run errands at their heels.
But today, they weren’t taking him.
It seemed the meals he’d prepared over the past few days had loosened their guard considerably. Surely this was an opportunity sent from heaven itself.
Jang Sam-tae forced himself to maintain his composure, suppressing any outward sign of joy. This man could read a person’s mind with nothing but a glance—he was that kind of predator.
“Hehe, understood, Master. Fear not—I will guard Jang-won Estate with absolute care.”
“But let me warn you now, and don’t forget it: if you run, you’ll owe double.”
“How can you say such a thing, Master? Would this Jang Sam-tae ever disobey your word?”
Dan Woo-hyeon regarded him calmly. Then, slowly, he curled up the corners of his mouth.
In that instant, Jang Sam-tae felt his heart sink like a stone. The smile was that chilling.
“Then I’ll count on you. But hear this again…”
“Of course, Master! Absolutely! I would never!”
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you do run. You’ll soon understand what it means to be Sun Wukong in Buddha’s Palm.”
“Ha… haha… haha.”
Watching Jang Sam-tae avert his eyes, Dan Woo-hyeon chuckled softly and stepped outside.
Jang Sam-tae stood motionless, staring after him, then clenched his fists tight.
He’d already identified where the stolen goods were hidden.
He watched the two figures fade into the distance, a smug grin spreading across his face.
Now he could say goodbye to Jang-won Estate forever.

***

“But why the sudden urge to go fishing? It looked like there was plenty of food left in the store.”
Walking along Dongjeong Lake Shore, Hwa So-mi wore a puzzled expression, unable to understand. In truth, the storehouse still held a considerable supply.
There was no need to fish at all—Jang Sam-tae could easily prepare something delicious with the provisions they already had on hand.
This very morning, hadn’t he conjured those fine dishes from barely a handful of ingredients?
“Ah, it’s nothing special.”
Dan Woo-hyeon, who had settled onto a rock with his fishing line cast, simply laughed. His expression suggested he had no intention of satisfying her curiosity.
The moment Hwa So-mi tilted her head in bewilderment, Dan Woo-hyeon’s gaze shifted.
His eyes held the look of someone gazing toward the Jang-won Estate.
Though the distance was considerable and thickets of trees grew densely between them—by any reasonable measure, such a thing should have been impossible.
“So he went after all.”
“Pardon?”
Bewildered by his cryptic words, Hwa So-mi’s curiosity only deepened. Yet Dan Woo-hyeon offered no answer, merely smiling as he gently ruffled her hair.
He rose from his seat slowly.
“Keep fishing here for a while. I have something to attend to.”
“Will you be back soon?”
“Of course. It shouldn’t be dangerous, but just in case…….”
“Got it! You mean I shouldn’t budge from this spot, right?”
“That’s right.”
Dan Woo-hyeon nodded. Then, with Hwa So-mi’s position as the center, he cast his gaze in a broad circle, carefully noting the placement of every bush, rock, and stone around them.
The child wouldn’t know it, but this entire area was woven through with a Concealment Formation. Neither wild beasts nor people could see or approach this place.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Yes! I’ll catch lots for you!”
“Ha, I look forward to it.”

***

Dan Woo-hyeon moved swiftly. His speed surpassed even a fleeing arrow, narrowing the distance in the blink of an eye.
Before even half a quarter-hour had passed, he entered Ak-yang and cut straight through the market street.
Considering it normally took an adult man roughly half a double-hour to walk from the Jang-won Estate to this place, his arrival was nothing short of remarkable.
Upon reaching his destination, he spotted Hong Won-chang just emerging from the Government Office. The man had grown noticeably gaunt since they’d first met.
Likely because, ever since he’d had Jang Baek-san and all his men arrested, he’d been enjoying a rather hectic existence.
With that, Dan Woo-hyeon took a step toward Hong Won-chang.
The constables flanking him flinched and leveled their spears. Recent events had made them wary—fellow officers had been slain by Jang Baek-san’s underlings, and Hong Won-chang himself remained a target.
“Who goes there!”
At the same moment a constable cried out, Hong Won-chang turned and spotted Dan Woo-hyeon, his jaw dropping so wide it seemed it might unhinge.
“Eep?!”
Hong Won-chang was flustered.
What was this man doing here?
Their business was already settled. He had no intention of troubling the Jang-won Estate again, which meant there was no reason for them to cross paths.
Then, seeing Dan Woo-hyeon’s gaze turn toward the spear-wielding constables, Hong Won-chang barked out sharply.
“You—you fools! Stand down! I said stand down, damn it!”
The constables froze at his outburst.
The magistrate who had seemed fearless just moments ago—having captured Jang Baek-san—now stared at the man with a sickly, greenish pallor.
The constable hesitantly withdrew his spear.
‘Just who in the world is this man?’
Hong Won-chang quickly bowed and fawned.
At that sight, even the constables’ jaws fell slack.
“H-ha……ha ha, what brings you here, sir?”
Dan Woo-hyeon let out a soft chuckle.
To truly control a person, one need only instill either overwhelming fear or unwavering trust. The former worked faster, and its effect was now on full display.
His method proved effective in the moment.
Dan Woo-hyeon stroked his chin and smiled.
“I have a matter to discuss. Would you be interested in trying once more?”
“Sir?”
Confused by his cryptic remark, Hong Won-chang faltered.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, he felt trust.

***

One must never dispose of stolen goods carelessly.
It was the thieves’ iron law. A fence who acts hastily creates complications, and in the end that trouble circles back to him.
That was why he had come to Ak-yang.
He’d deliberately hidden the stolen goods in a secluded place near Dongjeong Lake, then slipped into Ak-yang proper.
He knew well that the magistrate here couldn’t resist money—that he’d throw all caution aside for it.
It was a crucial variable, one that would let him weather any unforeseen storm.
Jang Sam-tae regarded the old man before him with wary eyes. His name was So Chu-yeom, and while the Central Plains teemed with black market dealers, few possessed his reliability. Fewer still delivered without complications.
Indeed, So Chu-yeom’s work was flawless.
That alone was why Jang Sam-tae had made the journey down to Ak-yang and waited so long for this meeting.
“Two hundred thousand taels, no more than that. This thing is far too troublesome to move.”
“That’s fine. That sum will suffice.”
He hadn’t expected a larger amount anyway. He knew well how dangerous these goods were.
Especially the Buddha statue stolen from the royal residence—it was no mere trinket. Its loss would not end with his own neck.
“You’ve got nerve, stealing something like this and living to tell of it.”
Jang Sam-tae answered with a soft laugh. Theft had been grueling enough, but reclaiming it from the Jang-won Estate had been exponentially harder.
Truth be told, he was still somewhat uneasy.
Even now, he felt that eerie sensation creeping over him—as though Dan Woo-hyeon were watching his every move.
Yet if that were truly the case, he’d have been caught already. The thought offered him thin comfort.
“In any case, well received. The money’s here—I’ve included bank notes and a gold token from the Cheong-yun Merchant Guild.”
“Much obliged.”
Jang Sam-tae examined the notes and token within the cloth bundle. Fortunately, they didn’t appear forged. Indeed, this man had enough reputation in such matters that trust was warranted.
“Be cautious now. Ever since Jang Baek-san was arrested, the Government Office has grown vigilant. One misstep and disaster will follow.”
“…That Jang Baek-san?”
“The very one. It’s sent everything into turmoil. He was the finest bandit ruling over all of Honam, wasn’t he? There’s even talk now that the magistrate here might ascend to the capital on the strength of the capture.”
“I understand. Don’t worry. Even if I’m caught, I won’t breathe a word about you.”
“Heh heh, I harbor no such fears.”
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
The old man nodded readily.
In truth, So Chu-yeom had been so absorbed in examining the Golden Buddha Statue from among the goods Jang Sam-tae brought that he scarcely noticed the young man turning to leave.
The instant Jang Sam-tae turned his back with a faint smile.
Crash-crash-crash-bang!
A tremendous noise erupted without warning.
“Huh?”
“What…what is that?”
The sound came from below. At first it was light, but it grew louder with each passing moment.
Shrieks of men and the splintering of furniture rang out in a cacophony.
Crash-bang-crash!
“D-disaster! They’ve come!”
A rough-faced man burst through the door, his clothes drenched in cold sweat. One glance at his panic-stricken state told them something grave had unfolded.
“What in the blazes is happening?”
The old man shot to his feet.
“C-constables!”
“Constables?! How did they…!”
“They’ve surrounded the place—all sides! Someone must have informed on us!”
Both men’s faces drained of color. Jang Sam-tae swiftly tore at his collar to obscure his features. If his identity were exposed now, there would be no walking away unscathed.
In the next moment, he bolted through the window.
“Good fortune be with you!”
“Cursed luck!”
The black market dealer’s curse echoed behind him, but Jang Sam-tae paid it no mind. Right now, his own survival mattered above all else.

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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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