The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 26

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

Chapter 26

I wonder if things should be going this well, but since everything was so twisted in my previous life, I suppose it’s fine for things to go smoothly this time.

After all, there’s always at least one person whom heaven helps.

Cheongun headed straight to where the prison was located.

Since it was a Martial Arts Alliance Branch, he needed to be careful with his movements, but conversely, it was also a place that was complacent.

As long as he didn’t cause a disturbance, there wouldn’t be any problems.

The reason Cheongun had hoped to enter through legitimate means was because he wanted that record to remain.

Because he hoped that problems wouldn’t continue to arise in the future.

“This way it is.”

The prison was divided into two locations: one was in the basement of where the Martial Arts Alliance Branch Manager stayed, and the other was outside.

When he first arrived near the external prison, a Prison Guard was waiting for Cheongun.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“So it’s you.”

“Yes. This way.”

Since there was no way to enter through the entrance, they had to use a separate Underground Passage.

That Underground Passage was a corridor that connected the prisons.

It was a passage that had been built long ago for transporting prisoners, but it was no longer in use.

“I’ve prepared the corpse in advance. After quickly switching them, you can escape through the same place.”

“I shall.”

As he headed inside through the Underground Passage, a scene that looked ready to collapse at any moment unfolded.

“They said it hadn’t been used for a long time, but it’s at the level of ancient ruins.”

Rather than feeling like a corridor, it gave off a stronger feeling of being someone’s tomb.

Since it was a place where no light entered at all, without torches one wouldn’t be able to see even an inch ahead, but light had no meaning for Cheongun when it came to seeing ahead.

From the moment he entered the passage, he could tell what was at the far end.

He had already finished grasping everything from the structure of the walls and floor to what lay beyond.

That’s why he felt it was even more like a tomb.

“I wonder if something is buried here.”

If he used more internal energy, he felt he could find something, but he stopped because he thought he’d be discovered before achieving today’s purpose.

What Cheongun needed right now wasn’t particularly some great opportunity.

Cheongun moved to the end of the passage, which felt quite distant, in an instant.

Beyond the wall, he could hear the groaning of prisoners, indicating there was a prison there.

Seeing that the voices of the Prison Guards could be heard more faintly, it seemed there was one more wall between them.

“I was told to press this.”

When he pressed the brick that was second from the top and fifth from the left, the left wall began to open with a thud.

“Hm?”

Cheongun made eye contact with a prisoner who had lost his strength and was slumped down.

The prisoner, who had been looking at Cheongun with eyes full of bewilderment, soon turned his body and curled up on the floor as if he hadn’t seen anything.

“A quick-witted fellow.”

Quick-witted ones always survive at least once.

More than that, the end of the passage was inside the prison, specifically where the prisoners were.

Standing in front of the iron bars, Cheongun lightly pushed with his finger, and at the same time kicked the prisoner’s food bowl at his feet forward.

With a thud, the iron bars collapsed.

Since they said it was the innermost room, that closed place over there must be it.

Passing by all the other places and heading to the firmly closed area to check inside, he could see an old man receiving different treatment from the other prisoners.

‘Found him.’

His limbs were bound with iron shackles.

From the entrance itself, there was a strong will that wouldn’t easily allow intrusion.

If they were going to do that, they should have at least set up a formation.

He sharply channeled internal energy to his fingertips.

As sharp as possible, but without breaking or bending.

Since the precision of that channeling was already at the level of mechanical engineering, the door was carved out in the exact shape of his hand and opened futilely.

“…”

A head turning at the somewhat different method from how doors usually opened.

“Nice to meet you, senior.”

“…Who are you?”

“Let’s say I received a request. Do you know the Bang Fam… family?”

The expression that had shown bewilderment at the mention of the Bang family soon showed hope.

“Ha! I had forgotten…!”

“How long has it been?”

“It’s been twenty years.”

“Since you killed that senior’s family and defected to the Demonic Sect?”

“Wh-what did you say…?”

His expression changed instantly at Cheongun’s words.

“Because there are two requests.”

“Ha… How could this be…”

Thirty years ago, the Madu before his eyes had killed all of the Blacksmith Shop old man’s family and defected to the Demonic Sect.

Then he hadn’t shown himself for a while, but was caught while active in this area.

Wasn’t he the very person who had made him charge into the Demonic Sect all alone?

The result was becoming frail like now.

Having only heard the news that he was captured here, he was living like this.

With the hope that someday he might be able to kill him.

Even if he couldn’t kill him directly, if he was in the closest place, he could at least hear the news of his death quickly.

After being imprisoned for twenty years, he had gained hope of being able to leave.

But he had also received a request from his long-time enemy.

“So… what happens to me?”

The feeling of having one’s life and death placed in the hands of someone he was meeting for the first time.

It wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling.

“Hmm…”

Cheongun fell into thought for a moment.

Was there anything to gain?

Since he was the Patriarch of Cheongeumjang anyway, wealth wasn’t worth considering.

In fact, it was no different from just showing a thoughtful appearance.

If there was something he could offer, this would be the last chance – that was the silent pressure.

Time passed, and Cheongun looked at the old man and smiled.

“It seems you have nothing.”

“…”

Silence was affirmation.

The price of affirmation was death.

He was an old man whose name he didn’t even know.

Madu had simply become madu as his name suggested.

Since he didn’t like things dripping on the floor, after draining all the blood with internal energy, Cheongun left the room again.

Then he leisurely exited through the passage he had first entered.

“Still quick-witted.”

The prisoner who had been curled up when he first entered was still curled up despite all that commotion.

“Fix these iron bars properly yourself.”

He didn’t even answer.

Seeing how well he passed the test, his quick wit was no ordinary thing.

It was to a degree that pleased him.

The corpse he had sent ahead was rolling around on the passage floor.

He didn’t know whose corpse it was, but it would be the corpse of some pitiful commoner.

I plan to wrap it up appropriately, hand it to the prison guard, and ask him to bury it.

As Cheongun exits the corridor, the prison guard is waiting.

“Oh, are you finished?”

From his expression, it seems he doesn’t really know what happened.

Same with the prisoner inside – they’re lucky.

If they knew, I couldn’t just let them live.

“It ended well.”

“Phew… please tell them not to make such requests in the future. My heart is pounding.”

“Understood. I’ll do that. Ah, please bury this corpse.”

“This corpse is…”

“It ended well, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it.”

The prison guard isn’t particularly curious about the round object wrapped in the corpse’s clothes.

In this line of work, being too curious means you don’t live long.

Thanks to finishing the job so quickly, even after leaving the prison, the darkness hadn’t settled too thickly yet.

Bangwunhyeok and Danju are probably waiting for Cheongun outside.

Same with the old man from the blacksmith shop.

I brought him back, but in a state much lighter than what they were expecting.

How will they react?

“I should get going now.”

First, I need to go collect the senior from the blacksmith shop.

Since I told him to leave, by now he should have gathered all his belongings and be outside the Martial Arts Alliance Branch.

Even though it’s wrapped in cloth and darkness is slowly settling, carrying this round thing so openly is still burdensome.

“By the way, that was interesting.”

I thought the bad connection from the inn I happened upon would become a good connection that opened a path to legitimately enter the Martial Arts Alliance Branch.

But the price turned out to be a person related to the Demonic Sect, someone opposed to Cheongun’s purpose.

I’m sorry to them, but what can I do.

In living life, strength is important, but connections are also crucial.

Luck is important too.

It’s because they made the wrong connections in the past – who can they blame?

After leaving the branch, the old man is waiting with his belongings packed full.

“You have good strength.”

“My internal energy is barely a handful left, but my strength is still vigorous.”

“Would you like to see?”

“…Is that him?”

He asks again even though he knows.

It’s been thirty years.

Actually, in terms of martial prowess alone, he wasn’t that difficult to capture.

He was someone I could have torn apart anywhere in the world, but there was one thing.

Because he entered that Demonic Sect, I couldn’t catch him.

To think he went to the Demonic Sect alone and ended up like this.

“Is it correct?”

“…It’s right. Yes. This bastard. This bastard…”

I can feel strength entering his gripping hand.

Hot tears were flowing from eyes I thought had completely dried up.

Why did it take so long?

It’s not entirely refreshing, but the guilt that had been holding me back seems to be fading somewhat.

“I’m called Go Mujin.”

“I’m called Cheongun.”

“Thank you. I was wondering who would die of old age first, me or that bastard.”

Senior Go, having poured out everything he needed to, was showing a quite relieved expression.

“You probably would have won anyway.”

“That’s something we can’t know. So, what does our Cheongeumjang Patriarch want from me?”

“Please protect me.”

“Huh…?”

It was completely unexpected.

I expected something like asking me to teach martial arts or something.

“You know I have no strength, don’t you?”

“I’ll restore you to your original state.”

“…You will?”

I’ve known for a while that he’s not ordinary.

Beyond being the Cheongeumjang Patriarch, doesn’t he even know about my past?

Well, it’s not a secret past, but for the Righteous Sect, it’s a shameful past and disgraceful history.

As soon as I lost my strength, they erased all related records.

So while there are those who remember, there are almost none younger than those memories.

“A lot of time has passed. Let’s finish one thing we need to do today first.”

“…I have no regrets even if I die now, but I don’t want to die right away.”

“Well, you probably won’t die anyway. If your body becomes uncomfortable, Cheongeumjang will take good care of you.”

“…That’s even more frightening. To live like that in old age until death.”

While walking and exchanging light banter, we arrived at the place promised to meet Danju.

He looks quite flustered by Cheongun’s much earlier than expected appearance.

“Don’t tell me…”

He looks back and forth between Cheongun and the old man.

Silence is affirmation.

“Ah, finally!”

“Wh-who are you…?”

His appearance is a bit different from memory, but twenty years have passed, so it’s natural to be different.

“Don’t you remember me? Twenty years have passed, so it’s understandable.”

“Wh-what…”

“This isn’t the time for this. We need to leave before he comes.”

“Who do you mean by ‘he’?”

Danju, who had been glancing at Cheongun, soon whispered quietly.

“Gomujin, that bastard’s…”

Crack.

Upon hearing that name, Go Mujin’s identification of friend and foe was perfectly complete.

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