Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 99

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#099

What would be the biggest problem in finding Mugyeong?

-We at Hao-mun haven’t been able to determine his current location either.

It was precisely the fact that they didn’t know his exact location.

‘I need to use the relationship between Salmak and Heukjeom. If Salmak is chasing him, Heukjeom must know his location.’

This was why Ja-gang-cheon had deliberately approached Heukjeom.

“You came faster than I expected.”

“Didn’t you call urgently?”

Ja-gang-cheon turned his gaze. Judging by his appearance, anyone would see him as an ordinary stable hand.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter who it is.’

All that mattered was getting what he wanted.

“Please find the Martial Ghost Mugyeong.”

The man didn’t look particularly surprised. Since it was already known that Mugyeong had stayed at Deungmyeong Manor, it was easy to deduce.

“It’s one hundred taels of silver.”

“That’s expensive.”

“Normally, you’d have to go through procedures just to start a deal.”

“I meant it’s good that it’s simple.”

Ja-gang-cheon pulled out a bundle of promissory notes from his chest. It was something Cheon-gu had insisted he take along.

“Here.”

When he handed over the hundred-tael note like a coin, the man was rather flustered.

“Now. Tell me. Where is he?”

The man who had been checking the numbers on the note and raising his gaze flinched.

This was because killing intent had begun to swirl around what had been an innocent expression.

“I can give you as much money as you want, but I hate being cheated. I’ve paid the price, so give me the goods.”

If he said anything else here, it seemed like his head would be struck down immediately.

“I don’t know the exact location. However, he left half a month ago and was heading north at that time.”

Ja-gang-cheon showed no reaction. As if the story wasn’t finished yet, he waited for the man’s continued words.

“That’s all.”

“You should be careful when pricing goods. I can’t accept that this is worth one hundred taels of silver.”

It had been a price called with the intention of having a battle of wills from the start. That had instead come back to poison him.

“How will you fill the remaining value?”

The man broke out in a cold sweat.

“If you give me time, I’ll search more. Consider it an advance payment.”

“You should have said that before I paid the price.”

Ja-gang-cheon looked around.

“I’ll give you one hour.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell your subordinate to bring me the information I want within one hour.”

Ja-gang-cheon pulled out another hundred-tael promissory note from his chest and handed it to the man.

“You can have it all, or you can lose it all.”

After smiling once at the man who had received the note in bewilderment, this time he went and bought a leather strap used for saddles from a nearby horse stable.

Then he tied this to connect the man’s hand with his own.

“What is this?”

“One hour. You have to stay with me until then. When they bring the information, I’ll untie this and you’ll take two hundred taels of silver.”

Two hundred taels of silver was by no means a small amount even for Heukjeom. It was enough to buy a small inn, and if offered as a bounty, it was an amount that would make martial arts hunters risk their lives to chase it. It was also an amount that could commission an assassination from Salmak. Of course, the price varied depending on the target.

“Hmm.”

Looking at the money alone, he should definitely take it, but he was being cautious because of his relationship with Salmak.

After pondering for a moment, the man turned his body.

With his back to Ja-gang-cheon, he moved his mouth toward someone.

Instead of making his mouth movements large, he made no sound. A watching subordinate would receive the command just by reading his lip movements.

“Are you all done?”

“Yes. They’ll come within one hour.”

“Good. We’ll be able to part with smiles.”

Ja-gang-cheon moved with leisure. The man naturally followed Ja-gang-cheon as the leather strap tied to his wrist became taut.

“You said he went north?”

“Yes.”

Ja-gang-cheon saw a horse in the distance with a sullen expression.

It was a horse named Godo.

“Teach me horseback riding during the remaining time.”

“Horseback riding all of a sudden?”

“I paid two hundred taels, isn’t that enough for that much?”

Ja-gang-cheon had an innocent expression. At this unbelievably dramatic change, the stable hand tilted his head.

‘Could he be crazy?’

The person who had been radiating killing intent just moments ago now had an excited expression.

“Fine. Then let’s start with a gentle horse.”

The stable hand immediately went to where narrow stables were lined up and brought out a sturdy brown horse.

“Just remember one thing. The most natural thing is for me to become part of the horse. If I’m comfortable, the horse is uncomfortable, and if the horse is comfortable, I’m uncomfortable.”

Ja-gang-cheon listened with concentration as if memorizing martial arts formulas.

“If you control it with force, you can’t draw out all of the horse’s abilities, and if you leave it completely alone, you won’t be recognized as its master.”

“It’s difficult.”

“You’ll understand with just a little experience.”

Martial arts masters usually adapted quickly to horseback riding, so the stable hand wasn’t too worried.

‘It won’t be easy though.’

However, there was one petty revenge.

‘There’s a horse that’s usually gentle but goes crazy when someone mounts it.’

The horse he had chosen now was exactly that type.

“Then I’ll untie this for a moment.”

The stable hand showed the hand with the leather strap tied to it.

“Why?”

“Because it would be inconvenient for you to ride the horse.”

“We’re going to ride together.”

“What?”

“Hurry up.”

The stable hand wanted to refuse, but it was awkward to back down now.

“Is there some problem?”

“No.”

Eventually, they both mounted the horse simultaneously. It looked like Ja-gang-cheon was embracing the stable hand from behind.

Neeeigh!

As soon as the two settled on its back, the horse had a fit and immediately raised its front legs.

“Whoa!”

When the startled Ja-gang-cheon pulled the reins and put strength in his legs, the rebellion became even more severe.

“Huk!”

The stable hand embraced by Ja-gang-cheon was having a terrible time.

It would have been easier to endure if there had been a saddle to grab with his hands.

But it was a mistake not to put on a saddle in order to give Ja-gang-cheon a hard time. Moreover, as Ja-gang-cheon’s body swayed, he was continuously pushing against the stable hand’s body.

‘Damn it.’

It had been forty years since riding a horse had been this difficult. Forty years ago, when he was five years old, was when he had first ridden a horse.

“Release the strength from the reins!”

Ja-gang-cheon listened to his words and released the strength from the reins.

“I’m not telling you to let go!”

As the grip on the reins loosened, the horse began to thrash about wildly.

“Grab the reins again!”

When he hastily pulled on the reins, the horse twisted its body in pain.

“Enough! You bastard!”

Hearing those words, Ja-gang-cheon put strength into the reins and his legs.

Unlike before, when he pressed down with overwhelming force, the horse stopped resisting.

“Mister. It sounds like you just cursed at me?”

“That can’t be. You must have misheard.”

From then on, the stable hand gently taught him how to ride a horse.

After half an hour passed, Ja-gang-cheon began riding the horse stably.

“This is fun too.”

Riding a horse was a unique experience. Above all, it was fascinating how his field of vision became higher.

“At this height, I think I’m even taller than Pan Seok-i?”

As he leisurely rode the horse and looked around, he felt an uncomfortable gaze.

It wasn’t a human’s gaze.

The black horse named Godo was glaring at him.

‘Can a horse make eyes like that?’

If there were no restraining ropes, it looked like it would charge at him like a rhinoceros.

Seeing this, Ja-gang-cheon rode his horse closer to Godo.

When he quietly looked down from a higher position, Godo raised its head in displeasure.

Its large build certainly brought them to similar eye level, but Ja-gang-cheon showed no particular reaction.

He just quietly watched Godo.

Godo, who had been engaged in a battle of wills, seemed to sense something strange and began to relax.

“There’s nothing you can do from there. You need to know your place exactly.”

It was a way to win without fighting.

Ja-gang-cheon watched quietly from that spot for a long time, and Godo eventually turned its gaze away.

“A subordinate has come.”

The battle of wills ended when a Heukjeom subordinate arrived. The subordinate immediately whispered to the stable hand.

“We’ve found Mugyeong’s location.”

“Really? That’s good news.”

“He was discovered at Otaesan two days ago and continues heading north. It appears he’s trying to cross the northern border.”

As Ja-gang-cheon listened quietly, the man added more information.

“He’s currently traveling with a man in his early twenties, and is presumed to be pursued by Salmak.”

“He has a companion?”

“Yes. It’s a confirmed fact.”

Ja-gang-cheon nodded and untied the leather cord bound to his wrist. It meant he was satisfied with the information.

“Now we can part ways with smiles.”

“Please call on us anytime you need us again.”

Having decided where to go, Ja-gang-cheon made one more request.

“I’ll buy that horse.”

“It won’t be easy to handle.”

“That’s fine.”

Ja-gang-cheon ultimately chose the horse called Godo. Since he had to travel quite far north, he decided to ride a horse.

After paying the price, Ja-gang-cheon entered the stable directly.

“Be careful.”

The man guarding the stable gave him a warning. Godo had been so unruly that they hadn’t been able to clean the filth for five days.

“Huh?”

But it was strange.

Even though Ja-gang-cheon entered the narrow stable, Godo remained docile.

Though it was somewhat wary, it stayed still until Ja-gang-cheon untied the ropes binding its body.

The handlers held their breath watching the scene. They expected it to bolt as soon as the ropes were completely untied.

Whether Ja-gang-cheon knew of their concerns, he grabbed the reins and went to face Godo directly.

“Ready to go together?”

Snort!

Godo still had some pride left as it exhaled in displeasure.

“That much temper is fine.”

Ja-gang-cheon didn’t confront it but gently stroked its nose.

“Let’s change your name. Byeokseong. How’s that? Your temperament isn’t exactly gentle.”

Byeokseong .

It meant having a naturally stubborn disposition.

“You don’t need to become a gentle horse. Just come with me as you are. How about it?”

Snort!

The creature fluttered its lips as if it understood.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Ja-gang-cheon led the horse, reborn with the name Byeokseong, out of the stable.

In front of people who still looked anxious, he put a saddle on Byeokseong’s back.

And the moment he mounted in one motion, Byeokseong surprisingly waited docilely for the next command.

“Oh! That beast finally found its master!”

“Phew. Now we can rest too.”

“If it just obeys well, there’s no finer horse than that one.”

The worried gazes had somehow turned to envy.

“Let’s go.”

Neigh.

Byeokseong cried out powerfully and left Ma-si-jang.

After Ja-gang-cheon left,

The Stable Hand called his subordinate again.

“Contact Salmak immediately. Tell them Deungmyeong Jangju has departed to find Mugyeong.”

“Do you think he can find Mugyeong?”

“How vast is the North that he could find him? Not a chance. That fool will eventually wander around the North and be eliminated by Salmak.”

“Understood. I’ll contact Salmak right away.”

Confirming his subordinate was running off, the man smiled coldly.

“Stupid fool.”

In his mind, Ja-gang-cheon was already a dead man. Then regret arose.

“Salmak will take those promissory notes. Tsk tsk.”

He pulled out two promissory notes he had kept in his chest.

“I’ll have to be satisfied with these. Safety comes first in everything.”

He brushed off his regret and showed a smile.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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