Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 102

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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 102. Where in this world is there an easy path?
Jang An County.
Pobang.
As soon as Dan Yeop had taken up his post, Pokwaes and Pojols gathered around him.
“Did you leave the Yeon An Gyeong behind?”
“How’s your shoulder?”
“I have some Gold Wound Medicine that works well on me—just say the word if you need it.”
“How are we settling the medicine cost?”
Dan Yeop answered each scattered question with care.
“I left the Yeon An Gyeong at home by mistake. My body’s fine, and they said the magistrate’s office would cover the medicine cost.”
Truth was, he hadn’t forgotten the Yeon An Gyeong by accident.
The gold had faded from his irises so completely now that only someone watching closely would notice it—which is why he’d chosen not to wear it.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“If a man’s injured in the service of the realm, the magistrate’s office ought to cover it, naturally.”
“Though it doesn’t always work that way. Last winter when Pojol Jeong twisted his back catching a thief, it just got brushed aside.”
“Is this the same as that? The gravity of the cases isn’t equal. This is a matter of state importance—the imperial court itself is watching.”
“An injury in service of the realm is an injury in service of the realm, though.”
With Dan Yeop at the center, the Pokwaes’ conversation veered off into unexpected directions.
In the midst of the debate over treatment costs, Do Gyeom the Hyeonwi entered.
“You all did well yesterday. But don’t grow careless just because you’ve caught all the perpetrators. You never know when Cheonryeon might send someone to continue the murders. As you make your rounds, keep watch for any martial masters from outside regions—try to identify their names and get details. And Dan, the Pokwae—the Hyeonryeong Jo wants to see you. Go to the main office.”
“Now?”
“That’s right.”
Dan Yeop bowed to Do Gyeom and left the Pobang.
***
The Main Office.
As Dan Yeop stepped inside, the Hyeonryeong Jo Mujin pointed to an empty chair across from him and spoke.
“Sit.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jo Mujin waited for Dan Yeop to be seated before he opened his mouth.
“How’s the injury?”
“It’s manageable, sir.”
“And the medicine?”
“I’m taking decoction medicine morning and evening.”
“Good. Internal injuries aren’t visible, so you can’t just ignore them and move on. Even a martial master can’t overcome internal sickness if it takes root.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now that you’ve caught all those responsible for the death of General Choe Eon, word of you will surely reach the imperial palace.”
“What sort of word, sir?”
“In cases like this, they often consider rewards or improvements in standing.”
“Ah…”
“Rewards are simple enough—you accept them and that’s that. But improved standing is the problem. As you know, Pokwaes have no official rank. And because of that, even minor officials treat Pokwaes however they like.”
Dan Yeop nodded slightly.
He’d witnessed this countless times since becoming a Pokwae, and by now it was second nature to him.
It wasn’t solely the fault of the minor officials.
There were plenty of wretches among the Pokwaes who could shame even Haowen.
In a way, it was all karmic retribution.
“The imperial court might offer you a high position. Of course, if you refuse, that’s the end of it—but if it goes that far, it damages the imperial dignity, which isn’t good. So I’m asking once more about your intentions. Do you still have no desire to take an official post?”
“I have none, sir.”
“I understand. Then I’ll drive the point home firmly with Seol Yeom the Minister of Merit—that you have no interest in an official position.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank me for what? It’s because of Haowen, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re the first person I’ve known to refuse an official position in order to stay with Haowen.”
“…”
“Apart from that, I was quite startled watching your martial skill at Mannyeon Iron Workshop yesterday. I suspected you were accomplished, but honestly, I didn’t know it was at that level.”
“You’re too kind, sir.”
That was Dan Yeop’s honest feeling.
You could call yourself skilled in a well, but the moment you looked upward, there were masters everywhere—flying and crawling.
Hyeol Je, and now-deceased figures like Geun Jogyeon of the former age and Naenghan Sang…
And if you added the Five Evil Sword Sect, Geomgak, and the Whirlwind Society, there were too many to count.
“I look forward to your continued service. Nowhere else perhaps, but in Jang An City, Haowen won’t suffer losses. Unless it’s a capital crime, I’ll see matters resolved properly, so please stay at my side for a long time.”
“Thank you.”
Dan Yeop bowed to Hyeonryeong Jo Mujin and stepped outside.
***
Afternoon hours—one to three o’clock.
Dan Yeop patrolled the Youngmu District, where grand mansions lined the streets.
As he strolled leisurely, a remark from Hyeonwi Do Gyeom suddenly came to mind.
―When you patrol, try to learn whether there are any martial experts from outside the region, and at least get a sense of who they are.
That made sense.
Simply walking around wouldn’t tell him who these newcomers were.
He glanced left and right as he walked, then stopped in front of the Sinhyeong Inn.
Bang Jinbaek, the proprietor of the Sinhyeong Inn, was a Village Master of the Inn Faction.
Without hesitation, Dan Yeop pushed open the inn’s door and entered.
It was still bright afternoon, and the dining hall inside was nearly empty.
“Welcome!”
A young inn server greeted Dan Yeop cheerfully.
Bang Jinbaek, who had been at the counter, looked up casually and hurried outside.
“Oh my! Officer Dan Yeop, what brings you to my humble establishment?”
Bang Jinbaek, who had learned martial arts from Dan Yeop, played the part of a stranger admirably.
“I was just passing through, thought I’d check if there are any troubles in the area.”
“Please, sit for a moment. Cheonsu, go fetch some tea right away.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the inn server called Cheonsu disappeared into the kitchen, Dan Yeop asked a question.
“Who is that boy?”
“My sister’s son. The family’s circumstances are difficult, so he’s come to work here.”
“There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Please, ask away.”
“Recently, among the outsiders moving about the Youngmu District, have you noticed any martial experts of note?”
“Ah, worried about Cheonryeon, are you? I haven’t seen anyone quite at that level yet. But even if such a person had passed through, I might not have recognized them.”
“I see. If you happen to notice anyone suspicious later, please send word to Pobang.”
“Of course.”
Just then, Cheonsu returned with the tea.
While Dan Yeop sipped it alone, the boy sidled up to him.
“Officer Dan Yeop.”
“Yes?”
“How much money can you make as an officer?”
“Why? Thinking of becoming one?”
“They say officers don’t need to take the civil service exam.”
“Have you studied martial arts?”
“No, sir. I don’t have the money to become a military official.”
Dan Yeop regarded the boy with fresh eyes.
Haowen seemed loose-tongued, but surprisingly kept its secrets.
For Village Master Bang to have hidden his identity so well—the boy must know something about military officials.
“Being a pokwae isn’t easy. Think it over carefully.”
“Come on, what job in this world is easy?”
The boy’s worldly-wise remark left Dan Yeop speechless.
But he still had something more pressing to attend to.
“Inn servers actually make more money than pokwae.”
“Really? Truly?”
“Truly.”
“No way. Even the master is afraid of you pokwae officers, so how could an inn server possibly earn more?”
“It’s true. I get five silver taels a year. Since I’m unmarried, I can manage, but pursuing this work won’t help me find a wife.”
“So I shouldn’t become a pokwae officer then!”
“That’s right. Work hard as an inn server.”
“Yes, sir! Hearing you say that makes me feel energized somehow.”
“Is that so? It just makes me feel depressed. I should be going.”
Dan Yeop rose from his seat and left the inn with a weary gait.
***
Jang An City.
A certain place.
An old man and a middle-aged man sat facing each other in a tall pavilion.
The middle-aged man continued, eyeing the old man carefully.
“…Both Myeol Do and Bul Yeom are dead. The Mannyeon Iron Workshop, which we used as a base, is under investigation.”
“You’re telling me experts of that caliber only managed to kill Wang Mun and Choe Eon before meeting their end?”
“There is one capable man among the Pojol of Jang An County. Both of them were caught by him.”
“Who? Who is this man?”
“Do you remember Dan Yeop?”
“The Pojol who chased all the way to Hadong Province and killed Seok Jungok?”
“The same. We believed Haowen had placed him in the magistrate’s office, but it seems there is something more that was not disclosed.”
“Are you telling me that Myeol Do and Bul Yeom fell to some mere lackey of Haowen? Did I hear that correctly?”
“It is the truth. Myeol Do was killed by a wandering swordsman of the Jongnam Sect, but Bul Yeom met her end at Dan Yeop’s hands.”
“There’s no way Haowen harbors someone of such skill! Perhaps he is an unnamed disciple of the Five Evil Sword Sect.”
The old man could not easily accept this reality.
The Haowen he knew was nothing but a worthless gang.
“No. He is from the Terracotta Army Tomb, which Haowen operated in secret within the province.”
“Then some other master must have aided him secretly.”
“There were many witnesses, and all of them said Dan Yeop alone did the killing. They say he has already reached the pinnacle of the Doki Balpchul despite his young age.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Bul Yeom was an expert at the threshold of the Liqi Sword Technique. How could someone at the level of Doki Balpchul overcome her?”
“She must have fallen to some cunning stratagem. Pojol, after all, are inherently devious.”
After a long silence, the old man finally spoke.
“Suspend all operations in Jang An City for now. Investigate Dan Yeop. Learn everything about him—his family, his background, everything.”
“As you command.”
“And assign someone to watch him separately. I need to know whether he is an enemy we must kill, or a friend we might make.”
“I shall see it done.”
The middle-aged man bowed respectfully to the old man and took his leave.
Alone in the pavilion, a long sigh escaped the old man’s lips.
“Haah!”
There was a mountain of work to be done, yet talent remained scarce.
He prayed that this Pojol Dan Yeop was a man of substance.
Like the other Thousand Buddhas in the Cheonryeon.
***
Jang An County.
Pobang.
Dusk was drawing near.
As Dan Yeop was finishing his patrol log before the end of his shift, a young Pojol burst through the door in a hurry.
“Captain Dan!”
“What is it?”
“Someone’s come looking for you outside.”
“For me?”
“Yes, they said they came to meet Pojol Dan Yeop.”
“A citizen filing a complaint? At end of shift?”
“I’m not sure if it’s official business, but you absolutely must meet them.”
“What do you mean I must? Why do I have to?”
“She’s incredibly beautiful.”
“……”
In that instant, Dan Yeop found himself recalling the beautiful women he knew.
The first to come to mind was Son Yeonhwa.
If it were her, she would have no qualms about visiting Pobang.
The second possibility was So Yo, the courtesan of Jayung Pavilion.
Communication had been sparse since he introduced her to the Gimun Sect Leader, so it was conceivable she might visit.
At the thought of the final face, he shook his head.
No sane person would willingly walk into Pojol headquarters.
“She’s waiting at the main gate. Please go see her quickly.”
“All right, all right.”
Dan Yeop hastily finished his patrol log and stepped outside.
Upon reaching the main gate moments later, he stopped short at the sight of the woman.
It was someone entirely unexpected.
“Captain Dan, thank you for coming out. I came to express my gratitude. I hope I’m not imposing on you during your busy time.”
“Ah, I was just heading out anyway, so it’s fine. But what brings you here?”
Dan Yeop looked directly at Ok Hwan.
He had seen her singing at Hwawolru once, from a distance.
I don’t understand what there is to be grateful for—it was just a passing connection, nothing more.
Ok Hwan smiled brightly and answered.
“The truth is, I’ve been troubled by the men of Janyeol Pavilion for some time. It’s always left me feeling suffocated, but… a few days ago, after I saw Officer Dan teach that Hyeol Nachal a lesson, it cleared up completely. So I came to express my gratitude.”
Of course, it was an excuse.
The men of Janyeol Pavilion had indeed pestered her, but not to the point of causing such genuine distress.
“No, I was simply doing what I ought to do as an officer.”
“I’m just so grateful. If you have no plans after your shift ends, I’d like to treat you to dinner.”
Ok Hwan gazed at Dan Yeop with eyes that were warm yet full of longing.

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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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