The Granddaughter of Manhyang Escort Bureau Hides Her Magic - Chapter 121

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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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Chapter 121

 

“Isn’t that the Manhyang Express escort mission group over there?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“But why are they all on horseback? Are only the Escort Warriors going on the mission?”

 

“What are you talking about? Where would you find Escort Warriors going on a mission without porters? Escort Warriors are the type who hate getting even a drop of water on their hands.”

 

“Even so, the porters wouldn’t be riding horses. But there’s no one there who isn’t on horseback?”

 

The bundle merchants conversed as they watched the group racing by with flags fluttering.

 

Usually, escort agencies didn’t provide horses even to their porters.

 

The biggest reason was that they couldn’t give expensive horses to those who only did menial work like porters, and the second reason was that most porters didn’t know how to ride horses.

 

So they didn’t bother teaching them how to ride.

 

However, Shin Ah was different.

 

When there was little cargo or when time was of the essence, it was much more efficient for porters to ride horses too.

 

Just like this escort mission, where Hyeong Daegwang, who was both the client and the package, had asked to be delivered to the Murim Alliance Leader as quickly as possible.

 

From the early days of the Chang’an Branch, Shin Ah had instructed the porters to learn horseback riding and cart driving in their spare time.

 

After the branch office was properly equipped and had stables, she even purchased horses specifically for the porters’ riding practice. And she generously gave out incentive payments when they showed progress.

 

Naturally, the porters’ motivation soared, and now more than half of the Chang’an Branch porters knew how to ride horses and drive carts.

 

Among them, Chilseon, Dolsoe, and Malseok had exceptional skills, so they were selected for this escort mission.

 

“Let’s rest here for a moment.”

 

Shin Ah, who had been riding ahead, checked on the group’s condition and slowed down.

 

“Oh, let’s just keep going, shall we?”

 

While everyone dismounted and prepared to rest, only Hyeong Daegwang remained on his horse, fidgeting anxiously.

 

Shin Ah stared at him intently.

 

What could be Hyeong Daegwang’s reason for going to the Murim Alliance?

 

He had said he simply wanted to meet the Murim Alliance Leader, but the request itself was suspicious from the start.

 

‘Don’t escort me. Treat me as a package.’

 

Hyeong Daegwang had written his own name in the package section of the request form. He had also specified that the request was for an escort mission, not protection.

 

He wanted the Manhyang Express Escort Warriors to ‘deliver’ him to the Murim Alliance Leader.

 

‘No matter how I look at it, this isn’t a normal request.’

 

But Shin Ah’s intuition was telling her something.

 

That there was something important hidden behind his request.

 

It was probably related to the reason why he absolutely had to meet the Murim Alliance Leader.

 

‘I should find an opportunity to casually ask him about it.’

 

Shin Ah kept glancing at Hyeong Daegwang throughout the day. She believed her gaze management was flawless.

 

But there was someone who noticed this. It was Mugyeol.

 

When Shin Ah looked away from Hyeong Daegwang, this time Mugyeol stared at him.

 

His gaze was not kind.

 

* * *

 

On the first night after leaving Manhyang Express, the group set up camp in the forest.

 

The flat ground surrounded by tall trees was perfect for a small escort mission group to stay, making it a favorite spot for travelers passing through.

 

Knowing that people frequently stayed here, wild animals naturally avoided the area, and being not far from Seomsu, there were virtually no bandits either.

 

While the porters skillfully handled the chores, Shin Ah secretly helped them with magic.

 

She would use Fireball to kindle the fire, or Water to seamlessly refill empty water canteens. She also used Dig to soften the ground below, making it easier to prepare for sleeping outdoors.

 

After building a campfire and finishing dinner, everyone had completed their preparations for sleep.

 

“I’ll sleep next to Escort Warrior So Cheondo.”

 

Hyeong Daegwang slowly got up from his spot and positioned himself next to Cheondo.

 

“Please do.”

 

Cheondo pulled his luggage to one side to make room.

 

Shin Ah responded with just a glance and looked after the porters.

 

“Please rest first. I’ll take the first night watch.”

 

“No, Branch Manager. I’ll do it.”

 

Dolsoe said.

 

He was a porter who had joined the Chang’an Branch through Chilseon’s introduction, young and strong. From what she heard, he lived with his widowed mother and was famous in the neighborhood for his deep filial piety.

 

His character was the same when working.

 

He assisted Shin Ah as if serving his mother. Not with filial piety, but with loyalty.

 

“I don’t want to be woken up in the middle, so sleep first. I’ll wake you after one hour.”

 

Of course, she only said that – Shin Ah had no intention of waking Dolsoe, Malseok, or Chilseon.

 

‘Brother Cheondo and I can split it between us. Mugyeol is here too.’

 

Today was Dolsoe and Malseok’s first escort mission in the Central Plains, and Chilseon must be quite tense from bringing along these two porters, so it would be better for them to rest well at least on the first day.

 

The porters didn’t ask further and quietly withdrew. Resting when they could was also part of a porter’s duty.

 

Then, after confirming the porters had moved away, Mugyeol quietly approached.

 

Shin Ah noticed the shadow settling on her right shoulder and turned around.

 

“You’re tired too, Miss.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“I can handle the night watch alone, so please sleep.”

 

Mugyeol tugged at Shin Ah’s collar.

 

“Don’t do that, let’s do it together. Before that, shall we take a walk?”

 

Mugyeol didn’t hesitate twice and stood close behind Shin Ah.

 

Even when he was smaller than her, he would follow her around like a goldfish’s tail, and even after growing tall, he was exactly the same. Whether small or big, Mugyeol was adorable.

 

Shin Ah chuckled and asked Cheondo, who was guarding Hyeong Daegwang, for permission.

 

“I’ll take a short walk and come back!”

 

“Don’t go too far, Branch Manager.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Shin Ah answered cheerfully and headed toward the quiet forest with Mugyeol.

 

The rustling sound of stepping on fallen leaves was quite atmospheric.

 

However, since she hadn’t left the campsite to admire the scenery, she walked briskly.

 

Shin Ah stopped about one li away from the campsite. At this distance, their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

 

“Mugyeol, remember what you said when we talked through the hand mirror last time?”

 

Shin Ah got straight to the point.

 

She had been curious all along, but at first she was just happy to see Mugyeol, and later she was too busy preparing for the escort mission to ask, so she kept putting off this question.

 

“Yes, Miss. I told you I found someone who could get the Nameless Blood Powder.”

 

“Right. Who is that person?”

 

“He’s a merchant who sells poisonous mushrooms at the Black Market. He doesn’t have a separate name and is called Doklim Merchant.”

 

A merchant who sells forest poisons.

 

“Where can I meet this person?”

 

“They say you can only meet him at the Black Market.”

 

“Has Master Ok Chifung met this person?”

 

Mugyeol’s expression darkened instantly. He shook his head.

 

“No. The Black Market hasn’t opened for the past six months…”

 

“What? Why?”

 

The Black Market was an irregularly held market, but it had never taken a break for as long as six months at once.

 

‘The amount of money that flows through the Black Market is enormous.’

 

So even if they reduced the scale, they had never closed for more than three months, but now the Black Market hadn’t opened for six months already. This was truly strange.

 

“Could it be opening somewhere else and Master Chifung is missing it?”

 

Mugyeol shook his head.

 

Among Ok Chifung’s various informants was someone well-versed in the Black Market. Not a single piece of Black Market information he had provided so far had been wrong.

 

He was especially reliable when it came to the location and timing of Black Market openings.

 

It was six months ago that this person had contacted them saying ‘The Black Market won’t open for the time being.’

 

Since then, as far as Mugyeol knew, no contact had come.

 

“Maybe Master Chifung just didn’t tell you.”

 

“That’s impossible. He always tells me when he’s going to the Black Market.”

 

Ever since Mugyeol had gone out late at night and encountered Seomseo Iron Fist, Chifung always informed him whenever he went out at night or would be coming home late.

 

‘Suddenly the Black Market isn’t opening.’

 

Shin Ah tried to recall if there had been a similar incident in her previous life.

 

‘I might not remember everything, but I don’t particularly recall hearing about such a thing.’

 

But her contemplation was worthwhile.

 

She was able to recall that even the Black Market sometimes had to close for extended periods.

 

‘When something sold at the Black Market caused a major incident and government sanctions were imposed.’

 

The government usually didn’t interfere with the Black Market, considering it a Murim affair.

 

However, things changed when there were significant casualties or when high-ranking officials became involved.

 

In such cases, the government would step in and hunt down Black Market merchants like catching rats, and the Black Market would have to close and lay low for anywhere from three months to as long as a year.

 

‘Which could it be?’

 

Did many people die, or did they offend some high-ranking official?

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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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