novelraw Chapter 211 : Open the Door
Chapter 211 : Open the Door
Chapter 211: Open the Door
“An abduction? Where exactly did it happen?”
I pressed Pavilion Master Oknyeong and rushed outside.
She barely managed to follow behind me, panting for breath.
“W-Wolah suddenly said she wanted to buy new silk clothes…….”
Guilt was evident in her wavering voice.
Most necessities of life were handled inside the brothel, but when it came to clothing, Joo Wolah personally went out to her regular cloth shop to choose them herself—at least, that was what the Pavilion Master explained, making me click my tongue.
Joo Wolah was a woman who had mastered the art of adorning and decorating herself, so she couldn’t trust anyone else’s sense.
It seemed that meticulous personality had invited disaster this time.
“There was a huge fight in the marketplace, and men in black of unknown origin abducted Wolah and dragged her somewhere…….”
Hearing that there had been a large fight, I immediately thought of Jo Harang.
She must have been guarding the client from the shadows and stepped in when things turned dangerous.
And yet, despite a Transcendence-level martial artist stepping in, the abduction still succeeded—just what kind of experts did the culprit command?
“That place that sent the letter and carriage before—where was it again?”
The most likely suspect right now was the one who had sent that letter. A high-ranking figure of the Imperial Palace who had demanded Joo Wolah, backing it with immense wealth and power, only to be refused.
Pavilion Master Oknyeong pulled out a crumpled letter from her chest and spoke in a trembling voice.
“I-It bore the seal of the Board of Censors. They didn’t reveal exactly who, only that it was a high-ranking figure…….”
I glanced at Ilhong beside me as if asking what the Board of Censors was.
As if she understood just from my look, she began explaining immediately.
“It’s an institution that inspects all Imperial agencies and investigates corruption or crimes among officials. The Chief Censor even has the authority to directly meet the Son of Heaven, so they’re the kind of figures that make countless officials tremble.”
In short, the very core of power capable of shooting down even birds flying in the sky.
I looked back at the Pavilion Master. It was astonishing that Heavenly Flower Pavilion, based in the Imperial Capital, had the nerve to refuse such a powerful figure.
“Our Wolah’s will was simply too firm…….”
Perhaps reading my gaze, she spoke with a helpless expression.
“Ch.”
Ihong, who seemed to understand the reason for that firm refusal, glanced at me and clicked her tongue in frustration.
“Over here, Masters……!”
The Pavilion Master urgently pointed somewhere in the marketplace that looked like it had been torn apart by a massive fight.
Pushing through the murmuring crowd, I soon saw Jo Harang—her body battered and covered in wounds as she treated herself.
“Harang, are you alright? What kind of bastards would dare do this……!”
No matter how sturdy a Purple Tenuity Star was, seeing her beaten like this made my insides burn with rage.
“I-I’m fine……. My neck’s still attached.”
What a ridiculously tough answer.
With a slightly exasperated face, I asked who the culprit was.
“They were covered in black, so I couldn’t tell……. And their martial arts—I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Unfortunately, there had been too much chaos, and since they were abducting a famous figure in broad daylight, the enemies had concealed themselves with masks and black clothing.
“But I didn’t go easy on them either—I tore them up pretty well with my great saber……. If we mobilize the Beggars’ Union operatives scattered everywhere, we should be able to track their traces…….”
Men in black abducting a woman in broad daylight while bleeding profusely? There was no way they could avoid the eyes of beggars occupying every corner of the back alleys.
They must have left traces and signs all over. Even in a disadvantageous situation, Jo Harang had fulfilled her role to the very end.
“But what kind of bastard is that Yin Fiend obsessed with animal ears……? Ugh, to command such experts?”
Two Peak Master Level fighters and one Transcendence-level martial artist had attacked simultaneously.
If she had been alone, it might’ve been different, but in that sudden situation, she had struggled while trying to protect Joo Wolah.
“It seems the culprit really is a high-ranking figure of the Board of Censors. Judging by the wealth and the experts they mobilized.”
An unbelievable situation where even the core of the Imperial Palace was entangled in the redemption of a single courtesan.
Jo Harang widened her eyes and asked me,
“……Mujin, what’s the Board of Censors?”
“…….”
She had lived in Beijing far longer than me, so why did she know about as much as I did?
Shaking my head, I took out a mooncake from my sleeve and gently placed it in her mouth.
“Th-thank you.”
She said she was just getting hungry anyway and began munching on it happily.
Seeing her eat so energetically, she seemed like she’d recover quickly. She wasn’t quite like me, but as long as she ate well and rested, she’d bounce back soon enough.
“Anyway…… sorry. I couldn’t protect the client.”
There was nothing for her to apologize for. Just looking at the wreckage of the street made it clear she had resisted with everything she had.
“What are you apologizing for? Just focus on recovering. I’ll handle things from here.”
Abduction and disappearance were a race against time.
The more time passed, the lower the chances of finding the victim. So before the trail went cold, there was somewhere I needed to go.
“It’s been a while—I’ll have to borrow the strength of the Beggars’ Union in Beijing.”
Back then, I had called them into the Imperial Capital without much thought, but since then, they had proven to be quite useful—the largest information network of the Orthodox Faction.
“Shall we go see Uncle Pak Chil?”
I began moving with my companions.
The Beggars’ Union truly deserved to be called the greatest information network in the Central Plains.
Even though they had only recently begun establishing their network in the Imperial Capital, Pak Chil—one of the Four Great Disciples—answered my questions without hesitation.
“So, Uncle Pak Chil, you’re saying the kidnappers didn’t divert elsewhere and headed straight to the Board of Censors building?”
Based on reports gathered and compiled by beggars stationed everywhere, Pak Chil answered with near certainty.
“A beautiful woman in crimson silk robes—Joo Wolah, correct?”
“Yes, that’s her. That was the last appearance.”
“Then it’s almost certain. It seems someone inside the Board of Censors building was waiting for her.”
And the person who had been yearning endlessly for Joo Wolah—the most likely culprit—was named by Pak Chil.
Chief Censor Yang Gun-jwa.
“A man who wields absolute power even within the whirlpool of the Imperial Palace.”
What had emerged from the grass was none other than a snake—the head of the Board of Censors.
And I also learned the reason behind the abduction.
“Recently, someone has been buying up Joo Wolah’s Beastman Beauty Portraits at high prices—it seems that person was Yang Gun-jwa. That bizarre animal form… must have suited his tastes perfectly.”
This was practically confirmed.
The situation was ironic beyond belief.
Joo Wolah had lied to lure me, but in truth, she really had been targeted by a dangerous man like this.
“How ridiculous.”
Ihong let out a hollow laugh.
If they had hidden her somewhere secluded, I would have just stormed in, smashed everything, and retrieved her.
But if she was hidden deep within the Imperial Palace—inside the Board of Censors—this wouldn’t be easy.
No matter who I was, I couldn’t just charge head-on into the core of power.
“Captain, you did that back at the Tang Clan of Sichuan though?”
Back then, I had Tang Yeo-hye as backing. And I trusted that once the Clan Head was rescued, everything would resolve itself.
But now, even if I somehow got in and found Joo Wolah, nothing would actually be solved.
It would only complicate things further.
“I’ll need some backing of my own—a solid supporter.”
“……That sounds like this is about to get even bigger.”
Ihong looked at me as if dumbfounded. What she thought was just beating up a stalker was turning into a major incident.
“Cough.”
“Well, whatever. I’m used to it by now after following you around.”
She smirked.
It seemed she had grown quite accustomed to me.
“Anyway, thanks for the information. This helped a lot, Uncle Pak Chil.”
I took out a reward payment from my sleeve and tried to hand it to him.
But Pak Chil waved both hands, firmly refusing.
When I asked why, he showed me the longer knot on his belt instead.
“I’ve been promoted. Now I’m one of the Five Great Disciples.”
“What……. That’s incredibly fast.”
“Heh, it’s all thanks to you, Young Master Dan Mujin.”
He smiled proudly and thanked me instead.
“I didn’t really do anything though…….”
If anything, I had just been calling him around and making him work for free.
But it seemed the Beggars’ Union saw it differently—as a close connection or link.
They likely believed I could eventually bring back their missing Dragon Head Sect Leader.
“Please call on this Five Great Disciple often in the future… future Dragon Head Sect Leader.”
This man really knew how to navigate life. He’d never starve anywhere.
“Still, are you sure? I was going to pay you properly.”
I had earned quite a bit recently from an Imperial Palace request.
So I intended to pay everything I owed at once.
“A man shouldn’t go back on his word…… I-I’m fine…….”
He must have expected just iron coins or silver coins from my usual stinginess.
But I never spared money for those I was grateful to—especially for future use.
Though he refused, his eyes kept drifting toward the gold coins.
“Ah, just take it.”
I smirked and flicked a gold coin to him.
“……Hah! Thank you!”
He snatched it with a bright smile.
The Board of Censors was located deep within the Imperial Palace.
To get there, we had no choice but to enter the Imperial Palace again. Every time I stepped inside, nothing ever went smoothly—but since Joo Wolah had been taken, there was no choice.
As we approached the gate, guards crossed their spears to block our path.
“Who goes there!”
Without a word, I pulled out the Imperial Jade Token and presented it. The emblem of the Imperial Family gleamed in the sunlight.
Even the notoriously arrogant guards had no choice but to bow before the authority of the Imperial Concubine.
“Now then, get lost.”
Hearing my voice, the guards flinched as if something came to mind.
I walked straight toward the Eastern Depot’s headquarters.
“At this rate, I’ll get completely used to the Imperial Palace.”
Since obtaining the Imperial Jade Token from my previous exploits, I had become one of the rare individuals who could enter the Eastern Depot headquarters and meet Cheon Sugong directly.
Thus, whenever someone tried to block me, I simply showed it and passed through.
Soon, we reached Cheon Sugong’s office.
As we suddenly entered, he stopped reading a secret document and raised his eyes in disbelief.
“This is absurd.”
He slammed the document down and sighed.
“The head of the Eastern Depot is not someone you visit whenever you feel like it, you lunatic.”
He glared at me, his brows twitching.
Perhaps he had built up quite a bit of frustration toward me, as he began scolding me harshly.
“You reckless brat. It’s only because Imperial Concubine Hwang and Princess Dohwa favor you that you’ve gotten this far. Otherwise, to me, you’re nothing more than—”
“Nothing more than?”
I cut in slightly.
“A colt with somewhat usable skills. So know your place and don’t cross the line.”
For someone like him to say I had “usable skills” seemed almost like praise.
“Well, I’m not planning to become a palace official anyway. As long as I’ve got skills, that’s enough for a troubleshooter.”
“What’s with that look? I’m busy, so speak your business.”
At his words, I took a breath and explained everything.
That Joo Wolah, the most famous courtesan in Beijing—even among the Imperial Family and officials—seemed to have been abducted by the Chief Censor here.
Cheon Sugong’s expression stiffened, then turned incredulous.
“You crazy bastard……. Now you’re even meddling with the Board of Censors?”
“I’m innocent.”
I waved my hands.
Why did he keep saying I was meddling? If anything, they had started it.
A man meant to uphold the law had abducted Joo Wolah in broad daylight and beaten Jo Harang half to death.
“What kind of troubleshooter gets involved in things like this……?”
“……I know, right.”
Ihong, who had been silent out of fear of Cheon Sugong, unconsciously muttered.
“You brat.”
Cheon Sugong shot me a wary look.
“The Board of Censors is granted independence by the Son of Heaven. It’s not a place you can simply tear apart to find one person.”
“Even so, the famous Joo Wolah has been abducted. We have to do something.”
Even if it wasn’t easy, I had to do it.
Seeing the determination in my eyes, Cheon Sugong rubbed his temples.
“If the justification is clear, and a high-ranking member of the Imperial Family permits it, and the Eastern Depot leads the way… then it might be possible to search it.”
Independence didn’t mean they were free from the Imperial Family’s authority.
If someone powerful backed us, we could storm in and find Joo Wolah.
“And if you go in like that and find nothing?”
He narrowed his eyes.
“The backlash will be enormous.”
The Board of Censors was known for secretly abducting, imprisoning, interrogating, and torturing people. It had countless hidden spaces.
Even if we entered, there was no guarantee we could find her.
“Hidden spaces, huh…… I happen to know a technician who’s exceptionally good at uncovering those.”
Someone well-versed in secret chambers, mechanism devices, and formations from looting countless hidden vaults.
And someone who owed me a great debt.
“……Hm. Then I have a condition.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Seeing that I wouldn’t back down, he laid out his condition.
“If we storm the Board of Censors and publicly confirm that the Chief Censor abducted Joo Wolah…… then we will decide his fate.”
In other words, whatever punishment they chose, I was not to interfere.
He likely intended to turn this incident into an advantage for Princess Dohwa.
Politics always worked like this—someone’s mistake becoming another’s opportunity.
“Fine.”
Without accepting, there was no chance of saving her anyway.
As I nodded, Cheon Sugong finally smiled in satisfaction.
“Good. Let’s do it.”
And just like that, we joined hands to raid the Board of Censors.