CLS-Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Peng Daoji swallowed his dry saliva.

The man who walked inside was someone who would naturally draw favorable impressions from anyone. Literally a man of elegant bearing who seemed to have stepped out of a painting.

However, Peng Daoji could not readily feel favorable toward him based on his appearance alone. The background that the person before his eyes possessed was too enormous to feel favorably toward him.

Divine Technique Master

The strategist of the Righteous Alliance, and the one evaluated as the brain of the Righteous Alliance.

The one evaluated as having all things under Heaven within his mind, and having all things under Heaven move according to his will.

Before that enormous reputation and achievements, Peng Daoji simply wanted to flee.

‘Why am I here?’

This situation felt like it wasn’t reality.

“Sit comfortably.”

Jo Hyeon smiled faintly while indicating a seat.

Peng Daoji couldn’t give a proper answer and stiffly walked over to sit in the seat.

The Divine Technique Master also sat in his own seat, then opened his mouth with a very quiet but powerful voice.

“What did you say you saw in the Green Forest?”

Peng Daoji explained everything he had seen without omission. The Divine Technique Master who heard Peng Daoji’s explanation lightly tapped the desk with an interested expression.

“Are you certain about what you said?”

Peng Daoji nodded several times with a tense face.

There was no way he could tell lies when he had been suddenly summoned to the Military Strategy Hall and was in a daze.

“It is exactly as I saw it.”

The Divine Technique Master watched Peng Daoji with clear and transparent eyes. Not a trace of falsehood could be found in Peng Daoji’s eyes.

“Forgive the rudeness. I don’t think you would have told lies. However, if what you said is true, there’s a high probability that something bigger than you think is happening, so I deliberately confirmed it.”

“Rudeness? Those are completely undeserved words.”

Jo Hyeon nodded his head low.

“If it’s true, then your being here would be heavenly fortune.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those Green Forest bandits who chased you are most likely the Green Forest Ten Scythes.”

“The Green Forest Ten Scythes!”

Peng Daoji screamed in shock.

The Green Forest Ten Scythes!

Wasn’t that referring to the assassination unit directly under the Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds leaders?

How many martial artists had become wandering souls under their hands?

‘No wonder they were frightening.’

Peng Daoji unconsciously raised his hand to hold his neck. It was fortunate that his neck was still attached.

“Fortunately, it seems I was able to survive because there was help.”

“I’ll take care of the matter regarding the Swift Dragon Escort Agency. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to uncover a great conspiracy. The problem isn’t the Swift Dragon Escort Agency, but the young man who helped you there…”

A trace of worry settled on the Divine Technique Master’s face.

If it was the Green Forest Ten Scythes, they were Green Forest elites who could easily make even disciples of considerable martial sects meet the King of Hell. Peng Daoji was also a promising talent of the Hebei Peng Family, but under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have been able to handle even one of them easily.

‘He unilaterally beat down ten of such people?’

If it was true that he was similar in age to Peng Daoji, it was the appearance of a tremendous rising star.

“What did you say his name was?”

“He said it was Wei Yan-ho.”

“Wei Yan-ho…”

The Divine Technique Master’s eyebrows twitched.

That name had been in information that came from the Beggar’s Sect not long ago. It was information he had set aside thinking it was too absurd, but if information came from two places, it had to be considered credible.

‘Then I should consider that the second son of the Guangdong Wei Family has truly returned. Such martial prowess after five years… Even if there are no worthless sons under a tiger father, isn’t this too excessive?’

Even the eldest son of the Guangdong Wei Family, the Demon-Rebuking Sword Wei San-ho, was evaluated as a talent among talents with no match among his peers. But if Peng Daoji’s information and the Beggar’s Sect’s information were true, then the second son Wei Yan-ho should be considered to have surpassed even that of Wei San-ho.

‘The Guangdong Wei Family could become the eye of the storm. The problem is why would someone who appeared after five years be heading toward Hubei instead of returning home…’

“Where did he say he was going?”

“He said Seongsu Village.”

“I have a request for you.”

“Please command me.”

The Divine Technique Master paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“That young man is somehow concerning. Can you monitor him?”

“You said monitor?”

The Divine Technique Master realized he had made a mistake when he saw discomfort appear in Peng Daoji’s eyes. The word “monitor” would be sufficient to give a negative feeling to a young man of this age.

“I misspoke. Rather than monitoring, I need a bit more information about him. It would be good to dispatch our personnel, but currently, you’re the only person in the Alliance who can recognize him.”

Peng Daoji looked at the Divine Technique Master with a vacant expression.

See Wei Yan-ho again?

Wei Yan-ho was someone who, just by being together for about one hour, had drained his mental strength to the point where his heart trembled on its own. Being told to see such a person again sounded like being told to carry firewood and jump into a fire pit.

“That is…”

“It’s for the Alliance. No, it’s for the martial world. There’s no one besides you who can do this. I earnestly request this.”

Peng Daoji clenched his fists.

“Is this a consultation?”

“That’s right.”

“I will do it.”

The Divine Technique Master smiled lightly.

“I’ll speak to the Hebei Peng Family. Please depart as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, strategist.”

The Divine Technique Master watched Peng Daoji exit the Military Strategy Hall with firm steps and smiled contentedly.

‘He’s a fine young man.’

Both his martial talent and character were very much to his liking. If he continued to grow like this, he would grow into a pillar supporting the martial world.

However, the Divine Technique Master had no idea in his dreams that he was currently throwing that future pillar of the martial world into a dung field.

If he had known what kind of human Wei Yan-ho was, if he had known what kind of state Peng Daoji would be in thanks to the Divine Technique Master sending him to Wei Yan-ho, the Divine Technique Master would never have sent Peng Daoji to Wei Yan-ho.

Later, the Divine Technique Master would beat the ground in regret, but for now, it was something he couldn’t know.

‘Green Forest…’

The Divine Technique Master’s eyes gleamed.

Something was definitely happening. Recently, the imperial court’s movements had been unusual, and ominous movements were occurring in the Green Forest as well.

‘Where could the mastermind be?’

The eyes of the Supreme Heavenly Righteous Alliance’s strategist, Divine Technique Master, who was said to move with the world’s political situation in his mind, gently closed.

***

Wei Yan-ho looked around. A large room that had been arranged neatly was provided to him. Though no luxurious furniture was visible, it was a room that was cleanly arranged, and one could naturally tell that much effort had gone into it.

“They’re living better than I thought?”

The house was shabby but quite large. From the front, it was just a small thatched house, but behind the house were several buildings arranged so that patients could be treated there.

The room Wei Yan-ho was currently occupying seemed to be one of those patient rooms.

Wei Yan-ho lay down flat.

“Ah, whatever. Still, a medical family is a medical family. It should be fine to stay here.”

Although the renowned physician he had been introduced to was dead, this was still officially a medical family with the renowned physician’s children, so there wouldn’t be nothing to learn.

Knock knock.

Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.

“Yes.”

The door opened and Jin Ye-ran entered carrying a large meal table.

On the meal table was a large chicken along with all kinds of delicacies.

“I thought you might be hungry, so I prepared a meal first. There’s nothing special prepared, but please eat plenty.”

Nothing special prepared?

‘This looks like enough for three days.’

Beads of sweat formed on Wei Yan-ho’s forehead.

Honestly speaking, when had Wei Yan-ho ever received such excessive treatment?

At home, everyone was desperate to devour Wei Yan-ho, and after meeting his master, he had to do his best not to be beaten to death. In Kaifeng, he had fleeced suckers who were trying to use him, but the suckers hadn’t harbored goodwill toward him.

At the Hanrim Grand Academy where he had last stayed, he had received treatment of sorts, but there was Moon Eun-ji who was desperate to torment him, and he had also gotten involved in unexpected incidents.

Nowhere had there been a place that treated Wei Yan-ho so devotedly.

Also, since Wei Yan-ho wasn’t an irrational human, he keenly knew that he himself wasn’t worthy of being treated in this manner.

“Um, please eat together!”

Wei Yan-ho desperately called out to Jin Ye-ran who was about to leave through the door. If he ate this alone, he would obviously get indigestion.

“I’ve already eaten, so don’t worry and have your meal.”

Click.

The door closed.

Wei Yan-ho looked at the feast before his eyes while sweating profusely.

‘Still, they’re not as poor as I thought, right?’

If they had been poor, they wouldn’t have been able to set out such a meal table. Since they could make a living, wouldn’t they be able to bring out such a good meal table?

Wei Yan-ho decided to think positively. When he considered it, there was no reason for him to be restless about food given to him to eat.

Wei Yan-ho tore off a leg of the chicken before his eyes and put it in his mouth.

Just then, a small conversation could be heard from outside the door.

“Sister, what about that food?”

“Be quiet. The guest is eating.”

“We’re this far apart, surely he can’t hear us?”

Wei Yan-ho’s ears perked up.

Wei Yan-ho had lived dodging Baek Mu-han’s stone punches that flew without making a sound cutting through the air. If he put his mind to it, he could hear the sound of leaves falling a hundred jang away.

“We were out of rice too, where did you buy that?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about.”

“Still, I should know…”

“A man doesn’t need to worry about household affairs. You should focus only on medical arts.”

“Even if I try not to worry… Si-sister, what happened to the necklace?”

“I put it away for now.”

“You put away something you said was mother’s keepsake that you never took off for even a moment? Don’t tell me you sold it?”

“I just pawned it at a pawn shop and borrowed money. When circumstances improve, I can retrieve it.”

“When we’re about to lose even the house we have, where would circumstances improve? No matter how much he’s a guest, to sell even mother’s keepsake to provide hospitality…”

“What kind of talk is that? He’s someone who came looking for father! Are you saying we should treat such a person carelessly?”

When anger entered Jin Ye-ran’s voice, Jin So-ah’s voice quieted.

“It’s not like that…”

“Though you call it a keepsake, it’s just a jade trinket. If we abandoned courtesy and propriety because of such an object, mother would be more disappointed. Keep my words in mind.”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho helplessly put down the chicken leg he had been biting. The chewy chicken felt not just dry but like chewing sand grains. Wei Yan-ho forcibly swallowed the chicken that was clutching his throat and refusing to go down.

Wei Yan-ho shuddered.

So this feast was prepared with money received by pawning mother’s keepsake, wasn’t that what this meant?

“I-I can’t eat this.”

No matter how insensitive Wei Yan-ho was and how much nerve he had to fleece beggars, he absolutely couldn’t eat this. If one were human, this was food that couldn’t be eaten.

‘Could I somehow turn this food back into money right now?’

Just then, there was another knocking sound at the door.

“Yes, please come in!”