Ten Paths of the Master - Chapter 95

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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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Chapter 95. The Baeklyon Feather-Fur Needle
The Manyeon Ironworks was a renowned blacksmith’s forge even across the empire.
The blades crafted by Muk Cheolsim, the Master Blacksmith who presided over the Manyeon Ironworks, were masterworks—so fine they were even presented to the imperial household.
In his advancing years, Muk Cheolsim had taken refuge in Buddhism and ceased forging weapons altogether.
Still, his disciples continued to craft blades at the Manyeon Ironworks, selling them to military officers and the martial world alike.
The Master Blacksmith did not oppose his disciples’ weapon-making.
The ironworks could not survive in the capital on farm tools alone.
By now, his son Muk Gumgang, a Junior Master Blacksmith, had taken over the production and sale of blades entirely.
Muk Gumgang was startled by the young man’s unexpected statement.
He’d thought it odd when this scrawny boy in spectacles had wandered in poking around—where had such a shabby-looking vagrant come from?—only to be told the intruder was a constable.
“I must say, you don’t look like a constable to me.”
At that, Dan Yeop produced his constable badge and showed it to the middle-aged man.
“Heavens, you really are one. What brings a constable to the Manyeon Ironworks?”
“And who might you be, sir?”
“I’m Muk Gumgang, Junior Master Blacksmith of the Manyeon Ironworks. The Master Blacksmith you’re looking for is my father.”
“I see. I came because I have some questions to ask.”
“I know everything about the ironworks’ business, so you’re welcome to ask me. If you’d prefer, of course.”
Dan Yeop studied the middle-aged man carefully.
True enough, a man in his forties would know the ironworks’ operations inside and out.
He nodded, then withdrew a piece of white cloth from his sleeve.
Carefully, he unwrapped it to reveal needles that gleamed like steel whiskers.
“Have you ever seen anything like this? When I asked around, everyone said only the Manyeon Ironworks could make such a thing.”
The moment Muk Gumgang’s eyes fell upon the needles, his gaze flickered—but it quickly returned to its former composure.
Dan Yeop did not miss that fleeting moment.
He had been watching his reaction from the start, after all.
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like it. One thing I can tell you—we didn’t make these at the Manyeon Ironworks. My father stopped crafting blades twenty years ago. And for the last ten years, he hasn’t even made farm tools.”
“Do you know who might be capable of making needles like these?”
“Only a master of exceptional skill could even attempt such work. I don’t know anyone of that caliber around here.”
“You’re not suggesting that the Master Blacksmith could do it?”
“Well, he stopped working twenty years ago, so that’s hardly relevant.”
“But what of your own skill? As the Master Blacksmith’s successor, you must be quite accomplished.”
Dan Yeop’s eyes searched his face intently.
He had assumed Muk Cheolsim could step away from the forge precisely because he trusted his son’s skill.
“To be honest, I don’t hold a candle to my father. Shameful as it is to admit, my skill is no different from the other master craftsmen here at the ironworks.”
“Since you don’t know, I should meet with the Master Blacksmith himself. Would you be kind enough to introduce me?”
“Very well.”
Muk Gumgang said something to another clerk, then led Dan Yeop out through the rear gate.
Beyond the rear gate, three massive forges came into view, their towering structures backed by enormous halls.
It felt as though a small village lay hidden behind the ironworks.
A gasp escaped Dan Yeop’s lips.
“Remarkable! What an impressive scale.”
“We’ve been forging here for over a hundred years.”
Dan Yeop nodded at the note of pride in his voice.
Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang.
With the sound of hammers ringing out from all directions, Muk Gumgang led the way toward the rear hall.
Shortly after, he stopped before a great hall bearing the placard “Manseдae.”
“Father, a constable from Jangan County has come to see you.”
The door opened, and an old man in his eighties stepped out onto the veranda.
“A constable, you say?”
Dan Yeop brought his hands together respectfully and spoke.
“My name is Dan Yeop, a constable from Jangan County. I’ve come because I have questions for the master of the Manyeon Ironworks.”
“Ha, still people seeking me out? I hardly know whether to be pleased or troubled. Come up here.”
As Dan Yeop climbed onto the veranda, Muk Cheolsim turned to his son and said,
“You must be busy. Go back to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
Muk Gumgang turned without protest and walked away.
With only the two of them remaining, Muk Cheolsim led Dan Yeop into the inner hall.
The inner hall.
Muk Cheolsim poured tea into Dan Yeop’s cup and opened the conversation.
“So, what brings you here with questions?”
Dan Yeop spread the white cloth out on the table and spoke.
“I’m looking for the person who made this.”
“Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a Baeklyon Needle.”
“That’s the name of this object?”
“Originally it’s called a Baeklyon Feather-Fur Needle, but we shorten it to Baeklyon Needle. Where did this come from?”
“It was found on a constable’s body last night while they were keeping watch on General Choi Eon’s residence. It was the work of one of the murderers who killed General Choi Eon. Did you perhaps make the Baeklyon Needle, Master Muk?”
“I did. The Baeklyon Needle was the last thing I made, twenty years ago.”
“Who commissioned you to make it?”
“A merchant broker named Song Ik ordered it from me.”
“Song Ik? Where is he now?”
“He died about a decade ago when the plague swept through the region.”
Dan Yeop’s face darkened.
If that was true, then the connection to the culprit had vanished.
Then it suddenly occurred to him that Muk Gumgang, Muk Cheolsim’s son, had claimed not to know about the Baeklyon Needle.
Muk Gumgang had said only that his father had stepped away from the work twenty years ago.
Could it be that Muk Gumgang truly hadn’t known about his father making the Baeklyon Needle twenty years back?
“By the way, seeing the Baeklyon Needle makes me admire it all the more. It must have taken considerable effort to create something like this. How long did the work take you?”
“I was absorbed in it for a full month straight. If I’d done it alone, it would’ve taken three months easily.”
“It seems others helped you.”
“Of course. Other smiths helped shape the basic form of the needle.”
“I see. Thank you for the information.”
“Sorry I couldn’t be of more help, coming all this way.”
“Not at all. You’ve been very helpful. Without you, I wouldn’t even have known what this was called. Simply learning its name is a significant breakthrough.”
“Well then, safe travels.”
Dan Yeop exchanged farewells with Muk Cheolsim and left the inner hall.
‘Interesting! The son claims not to know, yet the father made it with help from other people? Fascinating, truly fascinating.’
As he entered the main workshop, Muk Gumgang approached with an awkward smile.
“Did the conversation go well?”
“Yes, Master Muk said it was something he made twenty years ago.”
“My father did? Ha! I had no idea.”
“He also mentioned he received help from other master blacksmiths at the time.”
Dan Yeop regarded Muk Gumgang with a meaningful gaze.
It was as if he were asking, ‘And yet you claim not to have known until now?’
“Tsk, he must have made it while I was learning metalworking techniques in the Western regions. I really didn’t know. I didn’t return to the Manyeon Ironworks until about fifteen years ago. That’s why I said it wasn’t something from our workshop.”
“Ah, I see! Thank goodness you explained that before I made an error. Ha ha ha.”
Dan Yeop laughed, and Muk Gumgang forced himself to laugh along.
Shortly after, Dan Yeop left the Manyeon Ironworks with Muk Gumgang’s farewell behind him.
***
Immediately after constable Dan Yeop’s departure, Muk Gumgang returned to the Manseдae.
“Did father say he made the Baeklyon Needle?”
“He did.”
“Why! Why did you tell such a lie!”
“Because nowhere in the world could make something like that except the Manyeon Ironworks. If I’d denied it, he would only have grown more suspicious.”
“So? Who did you say you gave it to?”
“Do you think I’m a fool? I told him I gave it to Song Ik, a merchant broker who died of the plague about a decade ago. So don’t worry.”
“Whew! From now on, if something hasn’t been discussed with me beforehand, say you don’t know. That’s how we must act if we’re not to let the legacy of the Manyeon Ironworks perish. Understood?”
“Ugh! I understand, so stop harassing me about it.”
Only then did Muk Gumgang let out a long sigh and stepped outside.
***
Jangan County.
Constabulary Office.
Upon Dan Yeop’s return from the Manyeon Ironworks, Do Gyeom, the County Magistrate, came to find him.
“What did they say at the Manyeon Ironworks?”
“Master Muk Cheolsim made it twenty years ago—a Baeklyon Feather-Fur Needle.”
“A Baeklyon Feather-Fur Needle? Quite a name he gave it. So, who did he say the owner was?”
“He says it was done through a merchant broker named Song Ik, and he doesn’t know who the real buyer was. Song Ik died of the plague about a decade ago.”
“Tch! So we still don’t know who the culprit is. We finally get our hands on the evidence, and this….”
“Have you found an expert skilled in needle throwing?”
“There are a few, but none of them have used needles like this.”
“Since it’s such a specialized needle, they must have used it even more carefully.”
“Still, we managed to identify the man. An assassin named Myeol Do, they say.”
“Myeol Do?”
“The Constables went around the martial sects in Jangan City with his portrait, and we were fortunate enough to find someone at Janwol Pavilion who recognized him.”
Janwol Pavilion was the most notorious heretical sect in Jangan City.
“They have dealings with such unsavory characters, then?”
“Apparently. Someone there had hired Myeol Do a few years back and recognized him from the portrait.”
“Still, it’s surprising they revealed anything. A sect like that could have easily denied knowing him.”
“It wasn’t free. We agreed to release one of Janwol Pavilion’s masters currently imprisoned in Jangan County’s jail.”
“Ah, I see.”
“The problem is, we still don’t know the woman’s identity.”
“We might uncover more if we investigate Manyeon Ironworks.”
“Do you think Muk Cheolsim is involved?”
“I have the sense that Muk Cheolsim and his son Muk Gumgang are hiding something.”
“Hmm, very well. I’ll have someone watch Manyeon Ironworks. You’re to stop investigating there for now and assist Constable Jang Ho instead. He went to meet with that Janwol Pavilion master to track down Myeol Do, but apparently it’s proving difficult.”
There was no way heretical sect masters would listen willingly to mere Constables, let alone a County Magistrate.
Magistrate Do Gyeom was placing his hopes on Dan Yeop.
“Understood.”
“And this morning, I hear you extracted a prisoner from the Western Market Guard?”
“Ah, that was…”
As Dan Yeop began to make excuses, Magistrate Do Gyeom continued.
“From what I heard, it was related to Haowen?”
“Yes.”
“I see. From now on, bring such matters to me directly. This time it ended without incident, but the Gold Rooster Guard might become troublesome for you, so I’m mentioning it as a precaution.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll be more careful.”
“Any minor matters concerning Haowen—pass them to me. I’d like to assert some authority over them myself, after all.”
Though he ended with a laugh, Magistrate Do Gyeom’s true intent lay in his first words.
A mere Constable extracting prisoners from the Gold Rooster Guard?
Minor offense or not, such a thing was unheard of under normal circumstances.
The Gold Rooster Guard were no fools.
If such incidents were repeated, they might make unreasonable demands of Dan Yeop.
Magistrate Do Gyeom wanted to prevent that.
“Thank you.”
Dan Yeop grasped the Magistrate’s underlying concern but pretended not to.
Just then, Constable Jang Ho entered, supported on either side by officers.
Magistrate Do Gyeom, startled, turned to him urgently.
“What happened?”
Constable Jang Ho answered with a severely swollen face.
“I was beaten by a Janwol Pavilion master.”
“Who dared do such a thing?”
“Patrol Master Ha Ryun, the Blood-Tracing Expert…”
Constable Jang Ho trailed off, shame coloring his words.
For all that Constables were looked down upon by common folk, being struck during an investigation was another matter entirely.
……
Magistrate Do Gyeom fumed silently, saying nothing.
A Patrol Master from Janwol Pavilion was someone who could only be properly dealt with by a County Administrator or higher.
Officials held authority only over ordinary citizens.
But masters of the Martial World, though they held no office, received the treatment due to high-ranking nobility.
“Ow, ow…”
Standing awkwardly, Jang Ho cried out and pulled a loose molar from his mouth.
Seeing this, Dan Yeop’s face hardened.
“I’ll bring in Blood-Tracing Expert Ha Ryun for arrest immediately.”

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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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