Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 147

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

Chapter 147
Clatter-clatter!
The carriage swayed as it advanced into the city.
The man sitting on the coachman’s seat tapped the back of the carriage lightly before speaking.
“W-we’ve entered Shaanxi Province now, sir.”
“We’ve arrived already?”
Creak!
The carriage window opened wide.
A middle-aged man appeared, his intelligent features framed by an ordinary white robe, dressed in simple white garments.
He poked his head slightly out the window, his expression brimming with curiosity as he surveyed the urban landscape.
“We arrived faster than I expected. My, my…”
“The official roads here are well-maintained, sir. With proper driving, one can arrive faster by land than by water.”
“It seems I’ve found an excellent coachman. I never thought we’d arrive this quickly.”
“Your words are more than enough thanks, sir.”
That’s when it happened.
As the carriage entered the city and moved slowly forward, beggars began attaching themselves to it one by one.
The coachman spoke in alarm.
“What’s with all these beggars…?”
“Now, now, halt. Stop, please.”
Tap-tap!
A beggar who had been following along casually tapped the side of the carriage lightly with a cudgel.
“There’s an inspection ahead, sir. Please stop.”
“An inspection by beggars? This neighborhood was never like this before. Has it gone mad…?”
“You’re really getting on my nerves, friend. Back in my day, I had coachmen like you working for me! Did you think I was born a beggar?”
One beggar shouted indignantly and casually rolled up his sleeve, revealing a distinctly twisted knot beneath.
Both the coachman and the middle-aged man in the carriage widened their eyes simultaneously.
“The Beggar Sect?”
“Then I shall conduct a brief inspection, if you permit.”
“Ah, yes, yes. Go ahead. I’m meeting all the heroes of the Beggar Sect today.”
“Heroes, nothing.”
The beggar snorted and glanced at the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man’s face had stiffened with tension.
The beggar’s eyes narrowed.
“Where are you traveling from, sir?”
“I am Ho Myeong-chul, a member of the Ho Family, currently on a sightseeing tour of famous sites from Beijing.”
“The Ho Family? I’ve never heard of them.”
The middle-aged man scratched his head.
“How could you not know? Even so, we had a successful examination candidate one hundred and forty years ago…”
“Ah, that’s enough. It seems to check out. May I see your palm?”
“My palm? Here it is.”
The middle-aged man extended his palm.
The beggar suddenly lunged forward and yanked his hand away.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
The middle-aged man panicked and tried to pull his hand back, but the crude strength held it completely immobile.
“Hmm.”
The beggar’s eyes narrowed.
His hand was clean, but calluses were embedded in the knuckles of his middle finger and index finger. It was the hand of a scholar who wielded a brush.
The beggar nodded to the other beggars around him and withdrew.
“My apologies for the rudeness.”
“No harm done. But what was that about?”
“A matter of Gangho. It would be best not to concern yourself with it too much.”
As the beggar waved his staff about, the beggars around him began to scatter.
Then, as if offering advice, he tossed out a single remark.
“Next time, don’t offer your hand so readily when a Gangho person asks for it. You could be gravely injured.”
“Ah….”
The middle-aged man watched the retreating beggars with a bewildered expression.
The coachman spoke.
“I don’t understand what just happened.”
“Let’s move on for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
The carriage lurched forward again.
Then, a merchant approached the slowly moving carriage, hawking his wares.
“Sir, these are the famous minced meat dumplings of Shaanxi. Won’t you try one?”
The middle-aged man tilted his head and asked.
“Aren’t dumplings originally made from minced meat and mashed tofu? How could that be a specialty?”
“Ah, actually these aren’t dumplings. We call them that for the convenience of outsiders. They’re made by placing seasoned meat between grilled cakes. They contain honey and Sichuan pepper, among other things—sweet and salty with an exquisite flavor.”
“Just hearing about it makes my mouth water. How much would that be?”
“Two copper coins per piece.”
“A bit pricey… but give me two. My, this looks delicious.”
The middle-aged man placed a dumpling in his mouth.
Minced meat was wedged between the grilled cakes, seasoned with various spices that made it taste excellent.
Of the two dumplings the middle-aged man had taken, he ate only one. The remaining one he picked up, then slid his finger between the cakes and began rummaging through the minced meat.
Soon, when the middle-aged man stopped that action, a small message tube rested in his hand.
“All the decoys have been filtered out. Five other squads were captured. About forty managed to break through the encirclement?”
The middle-aged man’s voice as he murmured while checking the message tube was distinctly different from before.
A voice emanated from the coachman’s seat.
“The interference from the sect is considerable. Everyone seems to have infiltrated with difficulty.”
“This is acceptable. In fact, it went more smoothly than expected.”
“Is that so?”
Strangely, the coachman’s lips didn’t move, yet his voice flowed out in a low whisper. It was ventriloquism.
“It’s not even Zhejiang Province, and it’s difficult for outsiders to breach the Kaifang’s blockade. Three people per team, fifteen teams total—that’s quite a respectable force.”
“Do you think they deliberately let us through?”
“That’s possible, but it’s more likely that Kaifang simply grew careless.”
A naive young man who appeared to be on a leisurely tour.
He was none other than Am Seong-ju, the leader of Moyong’s intelligence network, the Amseong.
“Hmm!”
The Coachman stretched his back as if loosening his muscles, swept his gaze across the surroundings, then employed ventriloquism once more.
“The beggars are still following us.”
“I sense their presence. Don’t report it separately.”
“Understood.”
Am Seong-ju gazed out the window with a leisurely expression, lost in thought.
‘We’ve finally arrived.’
His task in this distant land was to completely ascertain the movements of the Hidden Sword and the whereabouts of the woman called Namgung Sohwa.
Moyong’s direct martial artists, mercenaries and assassins hired through intermediaries, and local personnel connected through Moyong’s networks had all gathered. In essence, he had secured all available human resources without making excessive noise.
Am Seong-ju tapped the window frame of the carriage with his index finger, contemplating.
‘The Family Head’s intention: assess the situation, confirm whether the Namgung Family’s daughter survives, and suppress the controversy.’
Judging by the beggars’ reactions, it seemed the Hidden Sword had bungled the job.
‘Dokgo Myeong, then.’
He was a man acclaimed to have reached the pinnacle of martial mastery.
Yet Am Seong-ju thought differently.
‘There’s a possibility he broke through the wall. Otherwise, there’s no way two masters at the peak realm could be slain and the Hidden Sword vanish without a trace.’
Of course, the possibility that the Dokgo Family or Kaifang intervened couldn’t be dismissed.
Either way….
Since the Family Head desired no commotion, Am Seong-ju intended to follow his wishes.
He would simply maintain distance as befitted his role, conducting only observation and tracking.
Neither carelessness nor excessive vigilance—precisely this balance.
This was why he had become Am Seong-ju.
‘Regardless, the man will die, and the woman of the Namgung Family will fall into the Main Sect’s hands.’
Once he finished his role as vanguard and the Main Sect’s forces arrived, they would crush the man.
* * *
“Lord, Dalseong’s gang says they spotted someone who looks like Am Seong-ju.”
“Baek Cheol’s group also spotted him.”
“Janggoon’s group spotted him too.”
“I heard. So there are three suspicious individuals?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Are all three being pursued?”
“Yes, as you instructed, we’re maintaining distance and only tracking their approximate locations, so it’s not entirely precise.”
“Perfect. Don’t tail them at all. Just gather information and pinpoint their general positions. When catching a big fish, the drive is what matters.”
“Yes, but should we pursue all three?”
“Yes. If anyone looks suspicious, pursue them all. They came quite cautiously, so let’s show them what Kaifang is famous for.”
“Hehe, if we open it up, won’t that increase our numbers?”
“True. But those fools never imagined we’d launch a full-scale assault on them. Besides, we’re not the only reinforcements coming, are we?”
“Ah, that’s right.”
“Let’s get started then. Send word. It’s time for that arrogant younger brother and his stubborn subordinates to make their move.”
* * *
Dokgo Myeong staggered down the street.
“Hic, I’m getting drunk.”
A couple of gourds dangled from his waist, clinking softly.
In one hand he held a skewer with unidentifiable meat, and in the other, another bottle of liquor—he was thoroughly, completely intoxicated.
A group of people watched his retreating figure.
“Is that him?”
“I wonder if we’re seeing things. How could that possibly be the Tyrant Dragon?”
The peddlers sitting in the inn cast subtle glances at Dokgo Myeong’s back.
No inner energy, nothing. Though his trained body couldn’t be hidden, there was no aura of martial force whatsoever—he looked like a common street vagrant.
Thump!
There was another presence besides them.
A woman who had been following Dokgo Myeong with her wares suddenly pulled out charcoal and began writing something on paper.
Frequently falls into drunken states. Colleague mentioned in reports not visible. No contact with Geumsan Sect beggars….
No inner energy displayed. Martial skill level possibly higher than reported….
“How much is this?”
A peddler examining the wares lifted up a jade hairpin and asked.
The woman replied.
“Just ten silver pieces. Shall I wrap it for your wife?”
“Yes. Do you have salt as well?”
“I only have copper coins for change.”
“That’s fine.”
The man handed over a pouch of salt, and the woman offered copper coins in return, also slipping the paper she’d written on with charcoal into his hand.
That was when it happened.
Dokgo Myeong suddenly appeared before them.
“….”
They showed no alarm and calmly continued their conversation.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way. Good luck with business.”
“Yes, yes.”
The peddler left with an unhurried demeanor.
Soon the woman greeted Dokgo Myeong with a warm smile.
“My, what a handsome young master. What brings you here? A gift for your beloved? A hairpin? Earrings? I have many other ornaments as well.”
“She doesn’t like cumbersome things and keeps her hair short, so hairpins and earrings won’t do. What would be good?”
“Then a comb would be perfect. How about this one?”
“How much?”
“One silver piece.”
“Bah, how is this worth just one tael!”
“Ah, this won’t do… Since you’re such a handsome young master, I’ll give you a discount.”
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly.
“No, no. You can’t discount this. It should go the other way.”
“Pardon?”
Dokgo Myeong held up a pristine white comb and waved it about as he spoke.
“This is made from southern elephant ivory. It’s worth at least five taels.”
“Hehe, it seems you’re mistaken about something…”
“There’s no mistake. I’m the owner of the merchant caravan that imports these goods. You know of the Geumsan Sect? So how could the seller only ask for one tael?”
The woman’s expression hardened instantly.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled darkly.
Boom!
In an instant, the woman kicked off the ground and bolted, and the peddler who had been trudging along didn’t even look back before launching himself into the air.
Dokgo Myeong leisurely examined the two silver hairpins laid out on the mat, then suddenly swung his arm.
Whoosh! Bang!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The two who had been fleeing using lightness martial arts crashed to the ground like kites with severed strings.
“Gasp!”
An old man selling brushes beside the woman’s mat trembled, gasping for breath.
Dokgo Myeong turned to face the old man.
“Old man. I swear by Confucius and Mencius within me—tell me the truth. Are you also one of the Mogyeong Sega?”
“N-no, I am not. How could someone like me be a martial artist!”
“You act well. But you can’t fool my eyes.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“How would a country old man know of the Mogyeong Sega? Do you know how far it is from here to Zhejiang?”
“…!”
“There’s no helping it. Confucius and Mencius within me have given their permission.”
The old man’s expression changed, and he clenched his jaw without hesitation.
Or rather, before he could even try, Dokgo Myeong’s fist had already twisted the old man’s jaw.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
The old man collapsed with his jaw dislocated. A sharp, acrid scent of poison wafted from his gaping mouth.
Whoosh!
In that instant, beggars scattered throughout the street converged as if by agreement, dragging the three unconscious figures into an alley and disappearing.
“You’ve worked hard.”
One of the beggars spoke casually.
“Next is the inn district. Six peddlers and three disguised as wanderers.”
“Understood.”
“Pardon?”
“Confirmed receipt. Are the others doing well?”
“Yes, sir.”
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“They walked right in without even knowing there was a trap. Well, what can we do about it? If you don’t know, you get hit.”
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly and trudged forward with heavy steps.
* * *
Am Seong-ju, who was at the Inn, blinked rapidly.
“What did you say?”
“More than half have gone silent.”
“Half? Out of the fifteen teams that successfully infiltrated, half of them?”
“Yes, eight teams are not responding.”
“Has there been a breach?”
“It doesn’t appear so. There was no separate report.”
“Then how? They all infiltrated through different routes, yet they vanish like this all of a sudden?”
“We’re still assessing the situation, but I have no leads yet.”
Am Seong-ju’s eyes flashed.
‘A trap?’
Am Seong-ju suddenly felt a dizzying sensation in his feet.
Could it be that Dokgo Myeong and the breach knew they were coming and set a trap?

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