Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 81

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

Episode 81. From now on, you’ll be a Constable of Jangan County
Jangan City.
Jangan County Office.
Around noon.
Two men walked toward the main gate of Jangan County Office.
Do Gyeom, the County Deputy, and Dan Yeop.
Do Gyeom glanced at Dan Yeop and spoke.
“Those Blue-tinted Glasses you’re wearing—you plan to keep using them?”
No matter how open-minded the empire claimed to be, its officials remained conservative.
Even a County Deputy wearing such glasses would draw criticism; a Constable would fare far worse.
Yet the answer that came was resolute.
“Yes. My eyes are rather sensitive.”
“Ah…….”
Do Gyeom, unfamiliar with Blue-tinted Glasses, said nothing more.
He ushered Dan Yeop through the main gate.
Officials loitering in the courtyard caught sight of Dan Yeop and began whispering amongst themselves.
Do Gyeom quickened his pace.
Dan Yeop wore the glasses, yet it was Do Gyeom who felt embarrassed.
***
The main hall.
Do Gyeom introduced Dan Yeop to Jo Mujin, the County Magistrate.
“Your Honor, this is the Constable recommended by Haowen—the Dan Yeop you’ve heard me mention before.”
Jo Mujin’s eyes flickered with interest.
A man of his station possessed not only battle experience but considerable martial skill as well.
Jo Mujin himself was a competent master of the arts.
Yet even his trained eye could not fathom Dan Yeop’s martial prowess.
The Blue-tinted Glasses made the assessment all the harder.
Dan Yeop clasped his hands respectfully and offered a bow.
“Dan Yeop.”
Jo Mujin broke into a hearty laugh and spoke.
“Ha ha ha! Dan, I’ve heard much from our County Deputy here. So you’re the one who uncovered the truth behind Gworok Jin’s death and discovered Cheonryeon’s scriptures?”
“Luck favored me.”
“And humble to boot. A man who could read the Code of Laws Compendium once and commit it to memory—I’m six months into studying it myself, yet I’ve memorized only a handful of passages.”
“Surely it’s because your official duties are so demanding. Besides, with the Code of Laws Compendium at hand, there’s no need to memorize it for administering justice—so you had little reason to try.”
“This one will go far in office. It’s no easy feat to make others feel at ease.”
“I’m grateful for your favorable regard.”
“Sit.”
Jo Mujin settled into his own seat and gestured to the chair across from him.
Dan Yeop took the offered seat, but Do Gyeom didn’t stir an inch.
He stepped back to leave the two men to their private conversation.
Jo Mujin opened his mouth, his expression growing serious.
“I’ll be frank. What I asked Haowen for was a hunting dog to track down murderers. But you’re something more, Dan. As far as I’m concerned, I have no reason not to use you. Still, there’s one thing that troubles me—this matter is extraordinarily dangerous. I’m uncertain whether I should send you into it. If something happens to you during the investigation, if you’re killed or injured, I’ll bitterly regret the decision I made in appointing you as Constable.”
It was Jo Mujin’s genuine concern.
The murderers were masters who dispatched high-ranking officials without hesitation.
If a Constable began to investigate, they would surely not ignore him.
Dan Yeop would inevitably cross paths with them.
To lose a prodigy like Dan Yeop to a mere Constable post?
Beyond facing endless reproach from Lord Sohn, he himself had no wish to squander such talent.
Jo Mujin’s sincerity reached Dan Yeop.
“You seem worried I might die, but that won’t happen.”
“You’re confident you won’t?”
“Unless I meet the Blood Stage—anything below that is manageable.”
“Oh ho! To that extent?”
Jo Mujin regarded Dan Yeop with fresh eyes.
He’d never imagined the young man would use the Blood Stage as his benchmark.
“Yes.”
Dan Yeop’s voice carried neither excess nor deficiency, and Jo Mujin found it gratifying.
“Very well. From now on, you’ll be a Constable of Jangan County.”
With that, Jo Mujin withdrew a Constable Badge from his drawer and handed it to Dan Yeop.
Dan Yeop received it with reverent care.
The Constable Badge, no bigger than two adult fingers pressed together, fit snugly in the palm of his hand.
“Deputy Do, introduce Constable Dan to the other constables and hand over the case materials from Nagan County.”
“Yes.”
A moment later, Deputy Do Gyeom led Dan Yeop outside.
As they walked side by side, Deputy Do Gyeom spoke.
“From now on, I’ll call you Constable Dan as well.”
“Yes.”
Dan Yeop found it slightly amusing that Do Gyeom was stating the obvious.
It was because of the title of Constable, but Dan Yeop hadn’t yet felt its weight.
***
The Constable Station.
The moment Deputy Do Gyeom and Dan Yeop stepped inside, the eyes of the waiting constables and bailiffs all turned toward them in unison.
Deputy Do Gyeom stepped forward before the constables and spoke.
“The person who came with me is a new constable well-versed in the affairs of Jangan City. He comes personally recommended by County Magistrate Jo, so I hope you’ll all cooperate without conflict. Constable Dan, introduce yourself.”
When Deputy Do Gyeom used informal speech with the young constable, the faces of a few sharp-eyed men shifted slightly.
Dan Yeop clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully to the constables and bailiffs.
“I’m Dan Yeop. I ask for your guidance and instruction, my senior constables.”
It was a respectful greeting, but the world was not kind.
“Oh, look at him writing characters—the boy’s got some book learning.”
“Are we supposed to think of him as senior?”
“Meeting him for the first time and he’s already wearing blue-tinted glasses? Doesn’t add up.”
“What kind of fool shows up in dark glasses from day one? Kid still wet behind the ears. Let’s keep this civilized, damn it.”
Deputy Do Gyeom pretended not to hear and pulled out the Nagan County case materials from a large wooden chest, handing them to Dan Yeop.
“These are the records from the day the Nagan County Magistrate and his officers were murdered. There are sketches of the suspects as well—use them for reference.”
Dan Yeop took the case materials and asked, “Are we conducting a joint investigation with Nagan County?”
“No. Since there’s no one in Nagan County to lead the investigation, the case has been transferred to us. So these are all the materials we have.”
“I understand.”
“From now on, everything depends on Constable Dan. Whether you locate the suspects or find new information, come find me anytime. But under no circumstances should you pursue the suspects alone. I trust you understand why without my having to say it.”
Do Gyeom spoke because he was worried Dan Yeop might die.
“I understand.”
Dan Yeop nodded without hesitation.
He was confident he could win in a fight against the suspects, but he had no intention of being reckless.
“Then I’ll take my leave. And Dan—this comes from knowing you—proceed carefully and deliberately. Of course, I’m not talking about the suspects.”
Deputy Do Gyeom smiled, waved his hand, and departed.
Then the hot-tempered constables crowded around Dan Yeop.
Jang Ho, a constable with whiskers standing out like a spiky chestnut, spoke first.
“Hey! Kid. You’re supposed to know Jangan City well, but I’ve never heard your name before. Are you some distant relative of County Magistrate Jo?”
“No, I’m not. But isn’t your manner of speaking rather rude for a first meeting? Are you unfamiliar with the maxims of the martial world?”
“Maxims of the martial world? What maxims?”
“Beware of women, children, the elderly, and pretty boys.”
“…….”
The constables and bailiffs around them stared at Dan Yeop with incredulous eyes.
Jang Ho, blinking at the unexpected remark, asked again.
“If you’re not the Magistrate’s relative, then what kind of naive, sheltered brat from a noble house are you?”
Then someone from behind spoke up.
“Constable Jang! What fool from a noble house would become a constable? If someone becomes a constable, they’d be struck from the family registry!”
The constables and bailiffs burst into laughter.
It wasn’t just noble houses—even a respectable family would disown a son who became a constable, so the remark wasn’t wrong.
Jang Ho glared at Dan Yeop and bellowed.
“You brat! Neither here nor there! What gives you the nerve to act so brazenly!”
Then Dan Yeop stared straight at Jang Ho and asked.
“It seems Constable Jang lives with elderly parents?”
“What nonsense is this!”
“Your parents must be very advanced in years, so your hearing isn’t what it used to be, is it? That’s why you speak so loudly. But since I’m still young and my hearing is sharp, you needn’t shout.”
“…….”
Jang Ho, momentarily stunned, lunged at Dan Yeop with a grunt, but he flew sideways faster than the speed of his own charge with a sharp crack.
For a moment, the Constable Station fell silent.
The junior bailiffs didn’t even breathe loudly.

Jang Ho, the Constable who had been driven into the ground, sprang to his feet and charged at Dan Yeop again.
Crack!
This time, with a sharp sound, Jang Ho flew backward.
The Constables and Bailiffs stared in disbelief, their eyes darting between Jang Ho and Dan Yeop.
The sight of Jang Ho, who was twice Dan Yeop’s size, being brutally beaten by someone barely half his build was too surreal to comprehend.
Dan Yeop dusted off his hands with a pat-pat sound and addressed the officers.
“I’m not a relative of the County Magistrate, and my family’s nothing special. All I have is a handsome face, a sharp memory that forgets nothing once I’ve seen it, and as you’ve witnessed, I fight a little rough. Any other questions, Constables? Bailiffs, if you’re curious about anything, feel free to ask.”
“…….”
The Constables and Bailiffs could only stare at Dan Yeop with bewildered eyes.
All of them had lived turbulent lives, but they swore they’d never encountered anyone quite like this.
“If not, let’s get to work. People drawing state pay shouldn’t be idle, should they?”
At that remark, both the Constables and Bailiffs grimaced.
A Constable’s yearly salary amounted to five silver taels.
Five taels for the entire year, not a month.
Bailiffs received even less.
Without extorting money through threats and blackmail, it was impossible to make ends meet as a Constable or Bailiff.
But Dan Yeop, having just stepped onto the Constable’s path, knew nothing of this.
When the atmosphere grew somber, Dan Yeop assumed it was because of his bone-striking blow, and he tilted his chin up proudly.
Then he unfolded the case files on the central table at the Constable Station and began reading.
Remarkably, it contained nothing more than what he’d already heard rumored in Haowen.
The perpetrators had ambushed the Nagan County Office during the initial hours of afternoon, around three o’clock.
The Nagan County Magistrate and three military officers escorting him had died on the spot.
A County Magistrate also serves as a military commander.
That’s why military officers accompany them as escorts.
All of them were skilled in Martial Arts.
The Magistrate in particular was stronger than his officers.
This spoke volumes about the perpetrators’ martial prowess.
Dan Yeop pulled out a portrait that had been tucked beneath everything else.
A young man and woman.
‘These two must be from a Martial Arts Sect, then.’
Anyone capable of killing a Magistrate and military officers in an instant had to be.
Dan Yeop jumped to his feet.
He’d need to review the autopsy report for more precise information.
Just then, Jang Ho, who had been unconscious, stirred with a groan and shakily got up.
Not yet grasping the situation, he charged at Dan Yeop again.
Everything had happened so fast that there was no time to process what was going on.
With a crack, Jang Ho’s body crumpled.
Dan Yeop walked past him without a second glance.
The Constables and Bailiffs who witnessed this quietly clicked their tongues.
He looked like an artful dandy, yet his deeds exceeded even those of Jang Ho.

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