The Mad Dog Inspector of the Martial Alliance

Chapter 57 : An Unreasonable Opportunity (1)

The Beggars' Sect took charge of checking the Sichuan Tang Clan and maintaining public order in Yunnan. The Martial Alliance was handling the organization and distribution of the Diancang Sect's wealth. All these tasks were organically intertwined and proceeding well without any mistakes, so there was almost no possibility of failure now. Mistakes were something ordinary people made. Since Jang So-gil had never made a mistake in such matters, he already considered the job a success.

Now there were two variables. The Dali Ye Clan and the Beast Palace.

"These two are very angry right now."

"Of course, they would be."

It was all because of Jang So-gil. The Dali Ye Clan had planned to use this incident as an opportunity to pacify Yunnan and re-establish the Dali Kingdom. As Ye-er had said, they were arrogant and haughty people, but that didn't mean they were stupid. They had rationally proceeded with their plan by making the most of the power they had and the given situation, and had raised the seemingly absurd goal of founding a nation to a feasible one.

"If I hadn't intervened, we would have been able to see the founding of the Dali Kingdom in at least three years."

"I think so too. The more I investigated, the more the goosebumps wouldn't stop."

Sima Hui rubbed his arms as if he was afraid to even imagine it. The information gathered by the Fengya Unit, the information organization directly under the Martial Alliance Leader, while active in Yunnan was shocking.

"To think the Dali Ye Clan was in an alliance with the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty."

In Yunnan, the survivors of the Yuan Dynasty were scattered all over, aiming for a comeback. Some of them were merchants and miners, some were beggars, and there were also a very small number of martial artists. The remnants of the Yuan Dynasty could be seen in the Diancang Sect, in the Eight Sects, and everywhere else.

The Dali Ye Clan had joined hands with the leader of such people. It was a marriage alliance, just as they had done with the Beast Palace. The only difference was that they had given them their eldest son, not their youngest.

Sima Hui clicked his tongue.

"For the Dali Ye Clan, they had secured the best collaborator. Since the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty have roots all over Yunnan, they wouldn't be short on information or money. Above all, since they have a common enemy in the Ming Dynasty, there's no fear of betrayal. The only problem is that it's very difficult to unite them..."

"There would be no need to unite them. It's easier to extract information and carry out a grand plan when the forces are scattered. And in the first place, they shouldn't be united. If they were to gather, even His Majesty the Emperor would not stand by."

"It was a very cunning move, but isn't it a finished plan now?"

Although the number of Yuan Dynasty remnants was large and they were embedded in key positions, they were scattered and acting separately, not united as one. On the other hand, the disciples of the Beggars' Sect were over ten thousand people united as one. The number of masters was also overwhelmingly in favor of the Beggars' Sect, and the difference was even more severe when looking at the number of first-rate masters or peak masters.

"They had planned to solve the lack of masters with the participation of the Beast Palace, but since you even blocked that, it's a plan with no feasibility now."

"The Beast Palace is busy too."

The Beast Palace was in an uproar right now.

Because Jang So-gil had sent thousands of sacks of rice, the food shortage in Nan Yue was resolved. But even though thousands of sacks of rice had arrived, the item sold was the Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill.

The value of that elixir, which might be made once in a hundred years, was not comparable to thousands of sacks of rice. In the first place, if they were going to sell the Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill to buy food, they would have sold it a long time ago at a much better price.

When you think about it, the Beast Palace Lord Ye Daesan had the means to resolve the food shortage from the beginning. It was just that he was reluctant, he didn't want to sell it. He had just wanted another solution while letting his people starve.

And his daughter had promptly taken it and sold it. He must have felt like killing someone to get it back.

Jang So-gil, knowing his thoughts all too well, had prepared for it.

The process was like this.

First, he informed the Martial Alliance Leader Gumen Long of the existence of the Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill. Then Ye-er presented the elixir to the Alliance Leader. The Alliance Leader was delighted and paid the price, and Jang So-gil became the middleman and sent food to the Beast Palace.

And he arrogantly informed the Beast Palace, 'The young palace lord of the Beast Palace sold me an elixir, and I'm sending rice as payment. You've educated your daughter very well. Thank you.' At this, Ye Daesan's blood rushed to his head. It is said that although he didn't collapse due to the Beast Palace's martial arts, which were very strong against Qi Deviation, the wall was shattered by the fist he swung.

Now what would happen? If he were to argue about this, it would be picking a fight with what the Martial Alliance Leader was doing. Since the Beast Palace was still alive thanks to the Alliance Leader's mercy, he couldn't argue if he was in his right mind.

He couldn't punish or discipline his daughter out of anger either. It was because Ye-er had promptly joined the Martial Alliance. She had become a Martial Alliance A-class warrior and Jang So-gil's direct subordinate.

There was another thing that was even more maddening.

"And that elixir, in the end... hahaha."

The Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill, which had been sold to the Alliance Leader, had come back to Jang So-gil. It meant that he had received it as a reward for working hard so far.

Anyway, the Alliance Leader had already tried all the elixirs that were said to be good for the body and had become a constitution that could hardly receive the effects of elixirs anymore, so he had said it was a waste of the Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill's efficacy. But to give it up so readily, he truly had the magnanimity to be the Martial Alliance Leader.

With a feeling of regret, a desire to try it once, Sima Hui said with a disappointed face.

"You've laundered the stolen goods splendidly. Ye Daesan won't be able to say anything because he's scared of the Alliance Leader. Tsk, I'm jealous."

The Dali Ye Clan's plan, which had been prepared for decades, was crushed, and the Beast Palace had lost an elixir that might appear once in a hundred years.

It was a great disaster caused by one Martial Alliance inspector.

"Now, so, in your opinion, Young Master Thousand Li, how do you think these guys will come out?"

"I don't know about others, but they'll have to kill you."

"Th-if they kill me, it will be obvious that they are assassins sent by the Dali Ye Clan or the Beast Palace. Will they still try to kill me? They themselves must know that looking at the circumstances, it's only the two of them."

Sima Hui folded his fan and clapped his palm.

"They'll want to kill you even if it means hiring a professional assassin. If they commission an assassination den, hire a thousand-tael assassin, and retrieve the elixir, they'll at least break even. And they'll think it's okay because there will be circumstantial evidence, but no direct physical evidence. The problem is that it's actually true."

"Why is that?"

"A professional assassin never betrays their client. Even if they fail the job, they would rather commit suicide than reveal the client's information. It's even more so for a high-class assassin. They'll die at the slightest sign of the mission going wrong."

"No, what, are they newborn chicks or something to die so easily?"

"Because they are afraid of torture."

"Afraid of torture?"

Weren't assassins professionals with a steel-like spirit that could withstand torture? As Jang So-gil's eyes widened with a question, Sima Hui replied in a cold voice.

"Torture is something a human cannot withstand. No matter how steel-like the spirit, it cannot be withstood."

"Don't they train to endure it?"

"That is only training to endure. As time passes, a human will inevitably succumb to pain. Assassins know that well, so they would rather die quickly than be tortured after failing. That is good for themselves and good for the assassination den. That is why the client trusts the assassination den and pays the money."

"No, then..."

"Yes. Only circumstantial evidence remains. No one can be punished with only circumstantial evidence. Because they know that, the Beast Palace or the Dali Ye Clan will send an assassin after you."

He had thought so, but it was bitter to hear Sima Hui state it so definitively. Jang So-gil let out a low sigh and reflected on the situation. Both Sima Hui's opinion and his own thoughts pointed to a very high probability of an assassin coming.

But thinking about it the other way, it also meant that the only thing the opponent could do was to send an assassin. In other words, it meant that from now until this matter was over, there would be no more interfering factors except for the assassins who would come for Jang So-gil.

So Jang So-gil smiled slightly, and Sima Hui frowned.

"What's so good that you're smiling?"

"Brother, you're talking about the assassins sent by those assassination dens. Do they come for life?"

"No. An assassination den never accepts a failed commission again."

"Then I just have to endure it once."

"You could say that."

"Then it's actually a good thing."

"A good thing? Ah, ahh. So that's what you mean."

Right now, Jang So-gil's martial arts level was not that high. Since he was only at the upper level of a second-rate warrior, a master with overwhelmingly high skills would not come from an assassination den. This was, in a way, an opportunity.

"Right now, I'm here, there are the Martial Alliance's warriors, and there are the masters from Huashan, Wudang, and Hengshan who came to buy the manuals, but not all of them are protecting you, and they are all doing their own work. To sneak in and assassinate you, a first-rate master would be enough."

"Even with Yang Gwan protecting me?"

"Assassins are those who specialize in killing their opponents with cowardly means. Do you think they'll have a martial arts contest based on their level? In the first place, considering the extreme situation of an assassination, even a first-rate master is a generous estimate. Whether you're sleeping, looking at flowers, or eating, if you get stabbed, you'll die anyway. Do you think a master is invincible? Do you think even Yang Gwan can protect you then? A moment of carelessness comes to everyone, and an assassin is someone who doesn't miss that moment."

"But I just have to endure that attack once, don't I?"

"That's true."

"After that, I won't be a target of an assassination den's commission again, so there's no greater gain than this. Isn't it much better than a supreme master coming for me later? I'll just take the beating that I'll get anyway, but lightly and in advance."

"You're a fellow who would fall in dog poop and still insist it's a gain."

"No matter how bad the situation is, it's a merchant's job to somehow turn it into a gain."

Leaving Sima Hui, who took a step back with a 'hoho', Jang So-gil traced his thoughts.

'Should I increase the escort?'

Impossible. Not only were there no troops to increase, but they couldn't be trusted.

If he increased the escort and that person was an assassin, it would be hastening his own death.

'Should I contact the Alliance and invite a master?'

Impossible. It's too late.

Also, there was no guarantee that that person could be trusted either.

Because most of the Martial Alliance considered Jang So-gil a thorn in their side.

Jang So-gil, who was eliminating possibilities one by one through a process of elimination, came to a conclusion.

"The martial world is really all about power."

"Huh?"

"I have no choice but to become stronger myself."

"That's the truth, but you know well that it's not easy. Do you have any sharp methods?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Jang So-gil grinned and took out an elixir from his bosom.

The Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill. A rare elixir among elixirs in the world.

"Please help me eat this."

* * *

When accumulating the energy of the great nature through breathing techniques is seen as the training of internal energy, it starts from the upper dantian in the head, uses the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the foot as an intermediate point, and then returns to the upper dantian after one circulation. In this process, the energy that could not be collected returns to the great nature through the upper dantian, and the energy that could be collected passes through the middle dantian and descends to the lower dantian, where it is stored layer by layer. This is the process of general internal energy training.

If a practitioner takes an elixir, the process of filtering and gathering the energy of the great nature is not necessary, and since the already concentrated energy is put directly into the body, it is much easier to store the energy in the lower dantian.

But a strong elixir is truly a concentration of the great nature, it can be said to be the great nature itself. If taken without any preparation, one might not be able to withstand its strong energy and their qi meridians might tear, making them unable to recover, or the middle dantian, which is the passage, might not be able to withstand it and explode, scattering. Or, so much qi that cannot be contained in the vessel of the lower dantian might overflow, and one might not be able to handle its power and fall into Qi Deviation.

If it was like that for an ordinary person, Jang So-gil was the owner of a very peculiar bloodline that only the Sima Clan or the Zhuge Clan had. His upper dantian was several times wider than others, so he could gather a large amount of qi, but the qi meridian leading to the middle dantian was thin and shabby, so he couldn't control the qi he had gathered himself. And yet, the vessel of his lower dantian was small, so an elixir could easily become a poison if taken wrongly.

Therefore, taking the Fierce Bull Live Bezoar Pill was a very serious matter.

"But wouldn't you be able to help me, Brother Hui?"

The complete scoundrel inspector said so.

It was such a difficult task that he wanted to refuse, but he had already noticed after seeing the Sima Collection Record.

Sima Hui's shoulders slumped.

"It's possible, yes."

(End of Chapter)