ReadNovel Chapter 191 : Murder for Hire (2)
Chapter 191 : Murder for Hire (2)
The night in Chang'an Fortress was still full of bright lights.
In the innermost part of the red-light district, called the city that never sleeps, a five-story pavilion full of bright lanterns was visible.
The person sitting in the room was Na Hyeon-gi, who had come down from Wang-ok Mountain.
He, wearing a silk robe and with his long black hair let down, was sitting on the bed in a half-naked state.
Dam-ji, who was combing his hair from behind him, was also half-naked.
"You've had a hard time."
Although he heard Dam-ji's words, Na Hyeon-gi was silent. Dam-ji asked again.
"Are you going back to the cult?"
"Yes."
"Who will you join hands with?"
"I have to meet the Dokgo family. Prepare."
"Yes."
"What about the family head?"
The family head Na Hyeon-gi was asking about was the head of the Seo Mun family. Dam-ji smiled as she thought of her father.
"I've sent the news, so a reply will come soon."
At Dam-ji's answer, Na Hyeon-gi showed a satisfied smile. His hand grabbed Dam-ji's waist and embraced her.
"I'm glad you're here."
"I'm glad you're here."
The two looked at each other's eyes for a moment and then kissed.
***
Jin Sa-wol, who had entered the separate room of the guest hall with a wide yard and a small garden, had already circled the burnt-down inn once.
The inn, with no people, felt like a deserted place in a quiet countryside.
At the main gate, warriors from the Guguang branch of the Martial Alliance were taking turns standing guard.
Thanks to them, no one entered the inn unnecessarily.
"Ahem!"
Hearing the sound of a clearing throat, Jin Sa-wol, who had turned his head, found Song Ha-sang entering the room.
"What's going on?"
Jin Sa-wol had no intention of treating Song Ha-sang as an adult.
He asked why he had come here with an indifferent and cold expression, and Song Ha-sang approached Jin Sa-wol and said carefully.
"The Dark Cloud Division is moving."
"It's Na Hyeon-gi."
"The only person who can move the Dark Cloud Division is the head of the Na family."
"So you're going back to the cult with the Dark Cloud Division?"
"I'm contemplating."
Song Ha-sang crossed his arms and sat down in a chair. If the Dark Cloud Division moved, there was no reason to hide.
The Cult Leader had also disappeared, and there was no longer any pursuit of him.
It didn't seem bad to go back to the Ghost Spirit Valley. Jin Sa-wol cast his gaze over Song Ha-sang's shoulder.
"Come out."
At Jin Sa-wol's words, the sound of the wind was heard, and a black shadow appeared. It was a man wearing a pitch-black night-walking suit.
Jin Sa-wol, who had recognized the man's face, showed a smile as if it were unexpected.
"It's Do Sam-gi."
"It's been a long time."
Do Sam-gi, the owner of the Luoyang pharmacy, showed a smiling eye and then approached Song Ha-sang's side. Since Song Ha-sang also knew Do Sam-gi, he nodded. But he thought there was something going on.
There was no reason for Do Sam-gi of Luoyang to come all the way down to Guguang.
Jin Sa-wol, recalling Master Jang, the head of the Dark Cloud Division, asked.
"Is the division master well?"
"That old man is living well."
"What brings you all the way here?"
"The family head has recommended you for the position of the master of the Ghost Spirit Valley. He said to stop wandering and come back to the Ghost Spirit Valley. A killing ghost should live as a killing ghost. That is the family head's will."
Do Sam-gi conveyed Na Hyeon-gi's will. The reason he had come down here himself was because Na Hyeon-gi had given him a direct order to go.
Jin Sa-wol showed interest and asked.
"What if I refuse?"
"If you refuse... I don't know. I didn't hear about a refusal. He just said not to forget that you were born a killing ghost."
Na Hyeon-gi had conveyed the message to Jin Sa-wol to become his subordinate. In any case, the killing ghosts of the Ghost Spirit Valley had to follow the orders of the head of the Na family. That was their fate.
Like Do Sam-gi of the Dark Cloud Division standing before him.
Na Hyeon-gi was born the head of the Na family and was in a position to become the Demonic Cult Leader.
"It seems he is finding his own place."
"What's your answer?"
As Do Sam-gi asked as if he were rushing, Jin Sa-wol showed a smile.
"It's a refusal."
As if he had expected Jin Sa-wol's answer, Do Sam-gi let out a short breath and said, "You may not know, but your reputation within the Demonic Cult is quite high. They say your role in driving out the Demonic Cult Leader was great. The people who know of your existence seem to say that you, not Na Hyeon-gi, are a good fit as the head of the Na family. That could be a great stimulus to the family head."
"I'm not interested."
Jin Sa-wol had no intention of getting involved in the problems of the Demonic Cult. Those were things they had to take care of themselves.
Do Sam-gi showed a smile as if he understood.
"I'll convey that. Oh! One more thing. A killing squad has come out from the Hwahwaru. I don't know who they're targeting, but tell him to be careful. Since they've already entered Guguang Fortress."
"It won't be good for you if you give me that information, will it?"
"A final act of loyalty."
Do Sam-gi soon made a cupped fist salute and went outside.
As he disappeared like the wind, Song Ha-sang had a face full of worry.
"If you disobey the family head's order, it's only death."
"It's not to the extent that Brother Song should worry."
"Brother Song... That sounds good."
Song Ha-sang showed a smile at the words 'Brother Song'. It felt as if his worries and anxieties were disappearing.
"What about Ae-hwa?"
"She can move if she rests for a few more days."
"Tell her to come in a few days, and Brother Song, please grasp Na Hyeon-gi's movements."
"I understand."
Song Ha-sang answered as if he knew what he had to do. Song Ha-sang, who had stood up from his seat, went out with a face devoid of worry.
As Song Ha-sang went out, Jo Geom-ok came in as if she had been waiting.
"Who is it?"
She was not asking about Song Ha-sang, but about Do Sam-gi, who was wearing a night-walking suit.
"Do Sam-gi. He's a person belonging to a place called the Dark Cloud Division of the Demonic Cult."
"If it's the Dark Cloud Division, it's the information organization of the Ghost Spirit Valley. Since it's a ghost-like place with no substance, even the Shadowless Division couldn't find it. But what brings him here?"
The Dark Cloud Division's substance could not be found even with the information power of the Martial Alliance. Since a person belonging to such an organization had appeared, it was natural to ask the reason.
"He said to come back as a killing ghost and take charge of the Ghost Spirit Valley."
"Who? That bastard?"
"No, the head of the Na family."
"You crazy bastard."
Since Jo Geom-ok did not know about the relationship between Na Hyeon-gi and Jin Sa-wol, it was natural for her to get angry.
Jin Sa-wol, recalling Na Hyeon-gi, recalled the sight of him sitting on the grand master's chair where the Demonic Cult Leader had sat.
It was a sight full of ambition.
"What about Brother Woo?"
"He's on Muyeon Island."
Woo Jeong-bong had been going back and forth to Muyeon Island for a few days, making a tomb, and he was spending the day on Muyeon Island again today.
Jin Sa-wol, hearing the sound of the wind, stood up from his seat and went outside.
"Where are you going?"
"A guest."
At Jin Sa-wol's words, Jo Geom-ok frowned. It felt as if he disliked being with her.
***
Jin Sa-wol and Song Mu-pung were walking together in the burnt-out guest room, where the magnificent appearance of the inn could no longer be found.
The two were heading for the Geumwon.
Namgung Ji, who was following behind the two, headed for the gisaeng house with Bi-sun and Jo-rim.
Song Mu-pung, while heading for the Geumwon, examined the burnt-out pavilions and shopping streets and said, "Since everything has burned down like this, the loss must be very great."
"The inn can just be rebuilt, so what's the loss? It seems like a bigger loss that the Martial Alliance can't get the payment it should have gotten."
"Hahaha! The Martial Alliance is not a loan shark, so what loss would there be? That problem can be discussed again when the master of the Gold Flower Pavilion comes later."
"I understand."
Hearing Jin Sa-wol's answer, Song Mu-pung asked with a curious face.
"When Yeon Jeok-sim of the Demonic Cult attacked the inn in the past, what did they want?"
"At that time, I had only been at the inn for a short time, so I don't know well. I heard that Yeon Jeok-sim had come to kill Jo Han-yu."
"I heard that Mr. Jin was able to operate the inn with the help of the Alliance Leader at that time."
"I was just lucky."
"Did you have a connection with the Namgung family from the past?"
"I made a connection in Nanchang Fortress. If you ask Miss Namgung, she will explain it better."
At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Song Mu-pung nodded. He already knew the relationship between Jin Sa-wol and the Namgung family because he had heard it from Namgung Ji.
The problem was the reason why he had entrusted the inn to Jin Sa-wol.
Could he entrust this big inn with a connection of only a few months? He thought he couldn't.
"Where were you and what were you doing on the day of the inn's incident?"
"I wasn't at the inn at that time. I had gone out of the inn for a while because I had business. In the meantime, this happened."
Jin Sa-wol's expression, examining the wreckage of the burnt inn, was not good. Although Song Mu-pung understood his feelings, he had to ask.
"Can you tell me in detail?"
"Don't you know?"
As Jin Sa-wol asked back, Song Mu-pung felt even more curious. Jin Sa-wol's gaze looked like that of a person who had hidden something dangerous.
"Please tell me."
Song Mu-pung's gaze purely demanded an answer. Jin Sa-wol, as if he had no choice, lowered his voice and said.
"When the Zhuge Wonju came to the inn, he asked me to grasp the movements of the Demonic Cult. It was about the Infinite Hell of the Demonic Cult, and I had gone out of the inn for a while because of that."
"Did such a thing happen?"
"You really don't know?"
"I don't know."
"Then I can't say. Since it's a promise with the deceased Wonju."
At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Song Mu-pung frowned.
"For what reason did the Wonju ask Mr. Jin to find out about the Infinite Hell of the Demonic Cult? It seems there was a reason why he judged that Mr. Jin had the ability to do so."
"I can't reveal it."
"If it's related to the death of the Zhuge Wonju, you should say it."
"It's not. If you're really curious, ask the Alliance Leader. If the Alliance Leader allows it, I will answer."
Jin Sa-wol flatly refused and mentioned the Martial Alliance Leader, Namgung Min. At his words of shifting all responsibility to Namgung Min, Song Mu-pung had nothing to say.
On top of that, the words 'a promise with the deceased' also remained in his ears.
As they entered the safe through the wall of the Geumwon, Song Mu-pung examined the words 'God of Death' and asked.
"Why do you think the person called the God of Death came all the way here and killed Seok Jeong-bi and Wang Yao?"
"I don't know either."
"Aren't you curious?"
"I'm curious, but it seems Pavilion Master Song, not me, should find the answer."
Hearing Jin Sa-wol's answer, Song Mu-pung nodded, looked around once more, and then went outside.
Jin Sa-wol examined the door of the safe and then followed Song Mu-pung out.
Song Mu-pung asked as if he had remembered something.
"Where did Elder Tang go?"
At the question asking for Tang Hyu's whereabouts, Jin Sa-wol shook his head.
"I don't know. How would I dare to know where he is going?"
"Because the last person who saw him was Mr. Jin. What did you talk about?"
"It was about the safe."
Jin Sa-wol turned his body towards the safe and said again.
"He asked how much there was and how much had gone into the Martial Alliance. It seems he was very curious."
"That's all."
"Yes."
"Why is Elder Tang so interested in the inn's safe?"
"You really don't know?"
As Jin Sa-wol asked if he didn't know again, Song Mu-pung let out a long sigh.
"It's only been a short time since I became the Inspection Pavilion Master. How much would I know?"
"The wealth that the former Alliance Leader had collected in his lifetime is here. It's the black money of the martial world that was embezzled from the Martial Alliance. The inn was a place to store it, and it was operated with that money. That's why it has been donating so much money to the Martial Alliance."
Song Mu-pung's expression hardened noticeably. He, with a face that now understood a little, muttered.
"The incidents and accidents here were all because of the safe."
"The ledger with the former Alliance Leader's corruption is in the alliance."
"The Alliance Leader must have it."
Song Mu-pung was tearing his short beard when he frowned at the sight of a person running towards him. It was Woo Jeong-bong.
A troublesome intruder had appeared.
"Senior Song!"
Woo Jeong-bong, upon discovering Song Mu-pung, used his lightness skill and rushed in.
(End of Chapter)