Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Anhwa County. Gaecheon Gyoryongpa Main Sect.

“Elder Brother! Another one who went on patrol has gone missing!”

“Missing again?”

Jinwoong, the eldest brother of Gyoryongpa who had been frowning at a map while biting on a tobacco pipe, scratched his head at the news his subordinate brought. His already fierce impression, full of scars, became even more menacing.

“What damned business is this…….”

Half a year ago.

When one of his sworn brothers who went on patrol went missing, Jinwoong didn’t pay much attention. Those affiliated with local Sapa sects that weren’t renowned like Hyeolgeommun or Cheolhyeolmun sometimes wanted to leave Sapa.

If it were another Sapa sect, they would pursue to the end and extract blood debt, but Gaecheon Gyoryongpa was Sapa in name only—in reality, it was close to a gathering of local ruffians. They were all friends, brothers, and younger brothers he’d known since childhood, so what reason was there to extract blood debt?

He probably didn’t want to rot in a backwater like Anhwa County and wanted to live it up somewhere else.

That’s what he thought.

Until people started going missing one after another.

“How many is this now?”

“The fourth in half a year. Anyeorang, Dogae, Geoljin, and now Hansu.”

“Quite a few have gone missing. The probability they’re alive is…….”

“It’s probably low.”

“That would be the case. Traces?”

“None this time either.”

“……Damn it.”

No traces.

In the case of the previous three missing persons, he judged it could happen. Because their martial arts were shallow. In terms of Gaecheon Gyoryongpa, they were at the bottom.

But this time is different.

In a situation where three people had gone missing in the past half year, continuing to send the bottom tier outside was the same as forcing them to be sacrificed. So he rotated those with relatively outstanding martial arts within the sect to external patrol. He selected and sent out those who could at least resist before dying even if they encountered a master. Hansu, who went missing today, was one of them.

But despite that, to disappear without even leaving traces meant.

‘Either they were instantly killed by a much higher-level master, or they were caught up in some unknown strangeness.‘

Neither is a good sign. Whether a master beyond expectations appeared, or they got caught up in some strange phenomenon, it’s a situation that has exceeded what he can resolve.

“A guest has arrived.”

“Hmhm.”

As Jinwoong, who had been grimacing and puffing on his tobacco pipe, spoke at the presence he felt, someone cleared their throat and stuck their foot through the open door.

“I don’t think I gave permission to enter.”

“Haha. So will you refuse? Your Gaecheon Gyoryongpa refusing a visit from our Hyeolung Manor?”

“Damned sectarian fighting. Come in.”

At Jinwoong’s chewing tone, a middle-aged man with a bloody smile entered the room and looked around.

“This place always smells no matter when I come. How about changing the furnishings to something better? You’re still the master of a sect.”

“Our main sect has no sect master. There are only elder brothers and younger brothers. Is that all you have to say?”

“Such an impatient temperament. Cultivate some patience. I understand being anxious as the master of a shabby sect.”

“Are you trying to start something now?”

“Not at all.”

The middle-aged man waved his hands at Jinwoong drawing up his internal energy.

“Your martial arts are superior to mine, an elder of Hyeolung Manor. If you joined under our manor, you wouldn’t receive such treatment. Why won’t you join? The Manor Lord would value you highly.”

Jinwoong glanced at the sneering middle-aged man and extinguished his internal energy, quietly suppressing his fighting spirit. His voice lowered like a tiger’s growl.

“You’re rude at every turn. If what you say is true, I’m the master of a sect, yet you tell a sect master to join under another sect? Don’t you think that’s an insult?”

“I wonder. What do you think?”

The middle-aged man looked at Jinwoong briefly, erased his smile, and tilted his head.

“These days, has a culture developed where they treat as sects those who can’t even properly handle matters occurring in their own protective territory? There was no such thing in my time.”

“Just because the leader is outstanding doesn’t mean the group is outstanding. Don’t they say no younger brother surpasses his elder brother? Excluding you, everyone in Gaecheon Gyoryongpa is nothing but dogs. Dogs that bark, but tuck their tails when a tiger appears—that kind of dog.”

“What did you just say……!”

“Stop.”

Jinwoong restrained his subordinate who stepped forward indignantly at the middle-aged man’s words and growled.

“If you’re done, leave now.”

“I’ll leave if you tell me to. But are you planning to just leave things as they are? If you leave it alone, your younger brothers will continue to go missing.”

“I’ll handle it myself. Mind your own business. What you want in the end is tribute money, isn’t it?”

“I’m saying this because it’s insufficient as is.”

It’s insufficient as is. Increase the tribute money. Squeeze out more and fatten Hyeolung Manor’s belly.

“I’ll return for today. Think it over well and give your answer. The door of our manor is always open. Hahahaha!”

Watching the middle-aged man turn his back with loud laughter, Jinwoong clenched his fist. Rage welling up.

‘I must endure.‘

It’s frustrating, but he’s right. As the middle-aged man said, Gaecheon Gyoryongpa is weak, and it’s also true that they can’t defy Hyeolung Manor.

Though Jinwoong has polished his martial arts to some degree, at best he’s at the level of being evenly matched with one of Hyeolung Manor’s outstanding elders.

If Hyeolung Manor seriously moves, he can’t stop them. Even if he heard insulting words, he has no choice but to swallow his anger. He can’t throw the entire region into chaos.

‘Is Haomun not here yet?‘

If Haomun sent a master, he wouldn’t have to see that vile face.

Contorting his fierce face while simultaneously sighing inwardly, Jinwoong put strength in his eyes and glared at the middle-aged man’s back. The middle-aged man already gripping the closed door handle.

“Well, take care until my next visit?”

‘I hope he steps in shit on the way.‘

At the sight of the middle-aged man with a bloody smile, Jinwoong muttered inwardly without realizing it and clenched his fist. And then.

The moment the middle-aged man tried to turn the door handle to leave.

“Though I don’t know if you can take care. Heuhahaha—!!!”

Kwang—!!!

“Kweeeeeek—!!“

The shattered door struck the middle-aged man’s face.

“That bastard laughs in a really unpleasant way.”

Through the broken door gap, people began walking in.

“Is the person there Gaecheon Gyoryongpa’s eldest brother?”

Like a thug coming to collect debts.

“Let’s have a talk.”

Tapping the scabbard against his hand.

A short while later.

“Hey, driver. Put the horse over there…… are you really a driver? No matter how I look at it, you’re one of them.”

“Shut up. I’m a driver. A faithful driver of Uicheonmun. Got a problem with that?”

“N-no.”

Watching the horse bandit grimace in the distance, I let out a small laugh and turned my head. The story Jinwoong brought up was quite interesting.

“Missing persons case?”

After roughly stashing the Hyeolung Manor elder who had fainted from the flying door in a corner and sitting in a chair, Jinwoong brought up the topic. The story that missing persons cases have been frequently occurring in this area recently.

“That’s ri…….”

“Ah, speak comfortably. We’re not in a superior-subordinate relationship but a contractual one.”

“……Is that okay?”

“Isn’t it more efficient not to maintain useless authority? From what I can see, you seem to be older than me.”

“……For someone from an Orthodox sect, you have surprisingly little sense of authority. Then I’ll take advantage of your goodwill and speak comfortably.”

Jinwoong, who seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and relaxed his puffed-up muscles, put the tobacco pipe in his hand to his mouth, then glanced at me and tapped it into an ashtray instead. The conversation that followed.

“It started half a year ago. It began when one of our Gyoryongpa brothers went missing.”

“‘Began’ means it happened continuously. How many have gone missing?”

“Four. But if you include civilian casualties, there will be more. Among those who go outside, there are quite a few we haven’t seen lately. By estimate, at least seven. At most, around twelve.”

“The margin of error is large.”

“We can’t confirm every hunter who went on a long hunting trip or every herb gatherer lazily sleeping at home for winter, can we?”

“That’s not wrong either.”

Few people, rough terrain, and vast land—that’s the characteristic of Anhwa County. Though Gyoryongpa has quite a few members, they lack the manpower to check everything one by one.

“If there are no traces left at all, it’s probably not a yokai, and honestly speaking, I suspect it’s the work of a master.”

“Could it be a Demonic Cult demon head……?”

“……That’s impossible. Demonic Cult has a structure that makes that impossible.”

“A structure that makes it impossible?”

“There is such a thing.”

If the disappearances have continued for half a year, it can’t be Demonic Cult. That side has a structure that makes it impossible.

I dismissed Jinwoong’s assertion of useless talk and stroked my chin. The work of a master excluding Demonic Cult. Moreover, something that’s hard to see as an individual’s work.

“This is a headache.”

There are a few suspects I have in mind, but it’s too early to make a definite judgment. There are so many self-proclaimed mysterious sects in this Gangho.

“First, let me clearly organize the request details. Do you want us to block Hyeolung Manor’s interference? Or do you want us to resolve the missing persons case?”

At my question, Jinwoong, who had been contemplating briefly, asked indirectly.

“The compensation for resolving both is…….”

“It’s not a matter of compensation. To do both, we’d have to take risks as well.”

“If it’s not a matter of compensation, then what should we pay?”

“Nothing is clearly decided.”

What should you pay, you ask.

After thinking briefly, I pulled out a document I’d tucked in my chest and placed it in front of Jinwoong. Then Jinwoong looked at the document and narrowed his eyes.

“Branch sect application form……?”

“This is the only method.”

People often think branch sects must share the same martial arts, but that’s not necessarily the case. Ultimately, if mutual interests align, it’s entirely possible for one sect to act as a branch of another sect.

“If Gyoryongpa becomes a branch sect of Uicheonmun, all problems are resolved. A branch sect’s problems are also the main sect’s problems.”

“But that’s…….”

“Right. There’s a problem.”

“Right. No matter what, to join under another sect…….”

“No.”

That’s not what I mean.

“Uicheonmun doesn’t accept just anyone as a branch sect. The question is whether Gyoryongpa is suitable to be Uicheonmun’s branch sect.”

“……What?”

“A branch sect’s reputation also connects to the main sect’s reputation. From what I’ve learned, Gyoryongpa’s reputation isn’t bad, but we need to see if that’s actually true, don’t we? After all, you’re nominally Sapa.”

“Hah.”

At my question, Jinwoong let out an empty laugh as if dumbfounded and stood up from his seat. And the declaration that followed.

“From the way you’re talking, that qualification requirement isn’t about the level of martial arts.”

“That’s not important. Things like conduct and trust within the local community are more important.”

“Then there’s no need to say more. Follow me right now.”

Having spoken magnificently, Jinwoong put on his outer coat and moved outside.

“Because I’ll show you Gaecheon Gyoryongpa’s standing.”

“Get lost, you pathetic bastard!”

Ppeogeok!

“Sseup.“

Getting hit in the eyelid by a flying gourd, Jinwoong grinned and rubbed his eye area. The statement that followed.

“How about it?”

“This is our Gaecheon Gyoryongpa’s standing.”

Hmm.

I have nothing to say about that.

“It’s admirable, though…….”

Just in a slightly different direction from what I expected.