Chapter 20

Chapter 20

* * *

From early morning, the government office was turned upside down.

Most of the imprisoned criminals had been killed, and those who survived were found in a state where it would not be strange if they died at any moment.

Moreover, there were no traces of anyone infiltrating, but the magistrate was nowhere to be seen, so in the end, a search party was organized to find him, throwing the interior of Yueyang into an uproar.

“It is the work of those Black Dao Association bastards again.”

“Tsk tsk, only the magistrate is pitiful. He must have become a corpse somewhere.”

“Hey! Do not say such things. Still, what a great man he is. Did he not subjugate even the Black Dao branch while knowing full well what those Black Dao Association bastards would do?”

“That is true,” they said as they nodded here and there.

The mere fact that a mere magistrate, not even a martial artist, had achieved something that no one had been able to do until now made Hong Won-chang's reputation inevitably pierce the sky.

That was why the people also voluntarily went out to search for Hong Won-chang. They did not want to see the upright magistrate die simply because he had touched the Black Dao Association without fear and issued a subjugation order.

* * *

At that time, in the manor located about one double-hour west of Yueyang, Hwa So-mi, who had woken up early in the morning, came out to the yard with a blank expression.

It was not that she was half-asleep.

The person in front of her was fascinating.

“…”

“Haha, h-hello there.”

A stranger.

Hwa So-mi thought so and secretly looked for Dan Woo-hyun. And when she saw Dan Woo-hyun's figure in the far distance, she ran before she knew it and hid snugly behind his back.

“Ha, haha…”

Hong Won-chang laughed with an awkward expression.

‘That child is indeed the benefactor's daughter.’

Thinking that, she felt somehow similar to him.

However, unlike Dan Woo-hyun, she seemed to be somewhat shy. As someone who liked children, he wanted to get close to her, but she did not try to approach him at all.

“Greet him. He is the magistrate.”

“Ma… gistrate?”

Hwa So-mi tilted her head.

In the first place, she did not even know what a magistrate was. Because there was no magistrate in the village where Hwa So-mi used to live. It was because the village was small and was a slash-and-burn farming village made by escaped peasants.

However, because Dan Woo-hyun told her to greet him, Hwa So-mi took courage and muttered.

“I am Hwa… So-mi.”

“Haha, I am called Hong Won-chang. I also have a son of your age, so come visit sometime. I think you can become good friends.”

“Fr… iend?”

Hwa So-mi's eyes turned round.

Since her parents died, she had never met children of her age. Since the ones always by her side were only Dan Woo-hyun and Jang Sam-tae. Thus, it was also true that she missed having a friend to run around and play with.

Hwa So-mi stole a glance at Dan Woo-hyun's reaction.

Then Dan Woo-hyun stroked her head.

“If you are bored, it is alright to go play.”

“Wow-!”

Of course, it would be close to impossible to do it alone, but he had no intention of opposing her making a friend. Rather, seeing that joyful expression made him like it even more.

Hwa So-mi began to run around the yard, wondering what was so pleasant.

Then, perhaps because she was bored, she went into the storehouse, grabbed a fishing rod, and went out.

“By now, the rumors must have spread?”

“Yes, without a doubt.”

Jang Sam-tae answered Dan Woo-hyun's words and bowed his head.

The government office had been attacked. By the Black Dao Association. Since even the magistrate, Hong Won-chang, had gone missing, the imperial court would not take this matter lightly.

“They say it is close enough to touch your nose if you fall.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked and recalled Bang Chu-gok's words.

The main headquarters of the Black Dao Association was located at the border of Hunan and Hubei. Since Hubei had many sects with quite large power, it was actually easy to hide among those martial artists, and since Hunan did not have any notable large forces, it was good to operate in.

It was perfect for hiding and running away was also easy. The leader guy's head seemed even more brilliant than expected.

“I will inform the Prince's Mansion immediately and have them issue a subjugation order.”

Hong Won-chang gnashed his teeth.

Since he knew the stronghold of the Black Dao Association, he had no intention of leaving them alone. He intended to pursue and crush them, and cut off the neck of the leadership. He had to hold them accountable for mocking him to this extent and deceiving the imperial court.

However, Dan Woo-hyun shook his head.

“They are martial artists. Even if the army moves, it will not work.”

If the government stepped forward in earnest, many of the Black Dao Association would also die, but their roots would not be completely pulled out.

The members of the Black Dao had a persistent side as tough as cockroaches. Thus, if they were not trampled down all at once, they would creep back in again.

“Sam-tae, guard the manor. Keep a close watch so that the bound bastards do not escape.”

“Yes.”

“And you, Magistrate, enter Yueyang tomorrow, lead the constables, and come to that place within three days.”

Hong Won-chang and Jang Sam-tae had absolutely no idea what Dan Woo-hyun was thinking. Seeing him speak to this extent, it seemed clear that he had made up his mind firmly, but his thoughts could not be read.

“I will go.”

The expressions of the two people changed at that moment.

Dan Woo-hyun was definitely strong.

However, if asked whether he could deal with an entire organization, doubts arose. Especially, unless it was a small or medium-sized sect, even the Murim Alliance Leader could not bring down a giant force like the Black Dao Association alone, so how could he try to do such a thing?

Perhaps having read their minds, Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

“Do not worry about me, worry about your own futures. It was truly pitiful to see you unable to defeat even a single piece of garbage like that.”

“Ahem!”

“Hmph!”

Having finished the notification, Dan Woo-hyun moved.

He did not seem to be starting for the headquarters of the Black Dao Association right away. He was probably going out to see Hwa So-mi, who was fishing.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was walking slowly, glanced back and muttered.

“At the very least, be at a level where you do not go around getting beaten up. Are you not embarrassed at your age?”

“Ugh…!”

“Ahem, ahem!”

Hong Won-chang, who had only studied all his life to become a magistrate.

Jang Sam-tae, who had only devoted himself to lightness art to survive.

These two people looked up at the sky with awkward expressions.

Before they knew it, Dan Woo-hyun left, and Jang Sam-tae's muttering was heard.

“Damn it, everything is based on his own standards, that punk.”

“Heavens! What kind of words are those to the benefactor!”

“No, did I say anything wrong? Since he is good at fighting, builds houses well, and has lots of money, he has nothing to block him. But we are not like that! Isn't that right?”

“Ahem!”

Hong Won-chang had nothing to say.

This time, it was hard to refute.

Although he had practiced swordsmanship a little, his skill did not even reach a third-rate master. Even though he had worked so hard all his life, he could not do it, so hearing such words did not make him feel good either.

“I feel so dirty, I should increase my training hours or something, seriously.”

“Oh? Have you also learned martial arts?”

“Ah, you know that? The Tai Chi Chuan sold in the marketplace. I wrote down what that bastard told me to do this and that with it, and I've been practicing that lately.”

Hong Won-chang's eyes sparkled.

This man did not seem to know at all, but a single word from a master of Dan Woo-hyun's caliber could be called the greatest of fortuities among all fortuities.

Although it was only third-rate martial arts, if it came out of Dan Woo-hyun's mouth, it would surely be helpful to his life and not harmful.

Hong Won-chang slunk closer to Jang Sam-tae.

“Ahem! That, well, since things have turned out this way, could I also take a look?”

Jang Sam-tae blinked his eyes and looked at Hong Won-chang.

‘Why is this guy approaching me so friendly? It feels unpleasant.’

Jang Sam-tae stared with a bewildered expression at the face of Hong Won-chang, who was grinning and filled with anticipation, and then, with a broad grin, he said.

“Screw off.”

* * *

“Contact is cut off?”

“Y-Yes, that is correct.”

At Sa Ma-chan's question, the man answered while breaking into a cold sweat.

Something was strange. It was said that most of the imprisoned people were definitely dead, and even if the remaining ones survived, they were not in a state to open their mouths.

Since the magistrate had also gone missing, it was a situation where it would not be strange to think they had completed the mission. Yet even though a full day had already passed, not even a single carrier pigeon arrived.

Although they searched in every direction for their location through informational channels, only replies saying that they could not find anything precise were returning.

He could not understand what on earth was going on.

“What is the probability that they are dead?”

“It is less than ten percent. Since they have already completed the mission, only returning remains…”

“They might have been killed by that guy who is said to be a hidden master or secluded expert!”

Slam!

Sa Ma-chan slammed the table and glared.

The handling of the work was not to his liking, every single bit of it. He was swept by an impulse to tear the man in front of him to shreds and kill him immediately, but he barely held it back.

“B-But such words were not written in the last communication that arrived. Furthermore, if a secluded expert truly existed, the probability is high that all matters would have failed in the first place.”

The man's words were not wrong.

Because of that, Sa Ma-chan did not refute it either. Just as he said, if there was an existence backing the magistrate or someone else, the possibility was high that the raid itself would not have been established.

“Sigh- this is truly…”

Sa Ma-chan exhaled a long sigh while leaning back in his chair.

What was this feeling that everything kept getting twisted?

From a certain moment, not a single thing in the situation worked out, and it only kept getting twisted like a tangled skein of thread. He disliked everything from one to ten.

“Shall we send other kids for now? Have we not failed to grasp the location of the one named Jang Sam-tae yet?”

“No, that is not it. Since the magistrate has gone missing, the guard will be strict. It would be better not to create work that might get our tails caught for nothing.”

Tap, tap-

Sa Ma-chan tapped the armrest of the chair with his fingers, revealing his anxiety.

How could things get so twisted?

Suddenly, the words spoken by a fortune teller said to be skilled, whom he had met not long ago, came to mind.

“Your life will not last very long.”

He did not particularly believe in fortune-telling. However, because the person was so famous and there were rumors that they guessed quite well, he had specially brought them in to tell his fortune.

Of course, although he cut off his neck as soon as he heard those words close to a curse, what on earth was the reason his words suddenly came to mind?

“I will organize a search party.”

The subordinate's voice awoke his mind.

That was right. It was not the time to be thinking of other things.

They had to find the whereabouts of the disappeared guys as quickly as possible. If they were captured by someone and spilled even the location of this place, an unexpected accident might occur.

“Select kids who can move secretly. Since we have to comb the entire Hunan area, choose those who are as experienced as possible.”

“Understood.”

Once the subordinate who bowed his head walked outside, Sa Ma-chan, who finally let out a sigh, grabbed the bridge of his nose and gnashed his teeth.

‘I do not know who that fellow is, but…’

The fellow who touched the Black Dao Association would surely pay the price. The opponent must not be ignorant of that either, so if he went this far, he looked like nothing but a guy eager to commit suicide.

Therefore, he would not lose him.

He would catch him without fail. It felt like his anger would not be appeased until he tore the guy's limbs to shreds.

Sa Ma-chan clenched his fists tightly and stared into the empty air with a burning gaze.