novelraw Chapter 61 : Breaking the Trap (1)
Chapter 61 : Breaking the Trap (1)
Jang So-gil's internal energy had increased, and the assassin had not yet arrived.
Just as things seemed to be going smoothly, an incident occurred at an escort agency.
The Jangseong Escort Agency.
It was a rather large escort agency that operated in the east of Yunnan.
They had taken on the escort of a martial arts manual that the Huashan Sect had won in an auction. This was a long-distance escort to protect two of the Huashan Sect's rising stars and the manual, so it was a very difficult task. No matter how much they were martial artists, rising stars with no experience often died for absurd reasons.
The Jangseong Escort Agency was a place that could be trusted quite a bit, as it had an experienced escort leader who had completed 43 escorts without any accidents. That's why they had been entrusted with this task, but a major accident had occurred.
Bandits maintain the mountain roads and make them usable. And they collect tolls from the people who pass through them. Since this was not something they did for just a day or two, there were usually no major problems.
But in the negotiations with the bandits, which had been going well so far, a new escort had made a big mistake. He had mistaken the opponent's title, had not shown proper etiquette, and had secretly pocketed nine silver taels from the toll.
This was bound to be discovered, and the bandits, angry, drew their axes. They launched a surprise attack, and it escalated into a bloody incident where people died and blood flowed. Thirteen escorts had lost their lives.
Fortunately, the rising stars of the Huashan Sect had survived and the escorted item was also safe, so it was not the worst-case scenario, but the matter had become troublesome.
The Jangseong Escort Agency, which had suffered great damage, declared a halt to the escort. They begged and pleaded, saying that since they had protected the escorted item and the people they were guarding, couldn't they just pay half of the penalty? In such cases, it was customary to pay a penalty for the delayed time, so a fifty percent discount was not a problem.
The work of the Martial Alliance began from here. They had to take over the escorted item and select a successor escort agency to continue the escort.
Selecting an escort agency was a task where it was very easy to receive bribes, so solicitations often occurred. Even the scholars of the Martial Alliance could not be trusted. So Sima Hui had asked how about Jang So-gil taking charge of this matter. In Jang So-gil's eyes, this was also a task that he, as the inspector, had to do.
"I will entrust the job to the Anqing Escort Agency."
The Anqing Escort Agency was also a well-known escort agency in Yunnan. It was not as good as the Jangseong Escort Agency, but it was a trustworthy place that did not lie in its dealings.
"The escort agency has been decided, and now we have to handle the handover."
The manual and the rising stars were still at the Jangseong Escort Agency.
He could have the Anqing Escort Agency go to the Jangseong Escort Agency to receive them, but this time, since he had to receive the penalty, someone from the Martial Alliance had to go in person.
"I have to go for this too, right?"
"Hmm. Of course. It's a very obvious thing."
After exchanging a silent gaze with Sima Hui, Jang So-gil nodded his head.
"Then I'll go to Heping County first."
* * *
On the fourth day of walking side by side with Yang Gwan.
By the time Heping County, the destination, came into view.
Jang So-gil said casually.
"Actually, I see this as a definite trap. Military Advisor Sima also agreed."
"What? This is a trap?"
"It's a very plausible and beautiful story if an escort agency that suffered enough damage to halt an escort managed to protect the escorted item with all their might, but in reality, such cases are less than one in ten. It's common for the escorted item to be stolen and the loss of life to be less."
If the escorted item is stolen, they just have to pay the penalty and apologize, but if the escorts die, the escort agency suffers irreparable damage. Loyal and experienced escorts are hard to find even for a thousand gold, so unless it's an extraordinary case, an escort agency prioritizes its escorts over the escorted item.
"But they protected the escorted item, and so many people died? This is very strange."
"Couldn't it be because the escort leader was a person who firmly kept his faith?"
"Even though that escort leader died?"
"What?"
The experienced and famous escort leader died, but they protected the escorted item?
It was something that couldn't happen in common sense.
The escort leader is the person closest to the escorted item.
If the escort leader died, the escorted item could not have remained.
"The Dali Ye Clan or the remnants of the Yuan used some trick to kill the escort leader. And they left the escorted item to lure me."
"Aha. It was a lure."
Yang Gwan nodded his head as if he finally understood. Jang So-gil scratched Cheongwol's back and nodded back.
"Look over there, they're hiding in plain sight."
Jang So-gil clicked his tongue and stared at the inside of the village. Heping County was a rare plain in Yunnan, and it served as a breadbasket. The harvest was over, smoke was rising here and there, and tired people were eating.
Piles of rice and busy people. Yang Gwan followed Jang So-gil's gaze, but there was nothing strange.
"Young Master So, what is there over there?"
"Huh? You can't see it? Those three guys in black clothes over there."
Where Jang So-gil pointed, seven men were in the middle of threshing rice. No matter how he looked, no matter how he rubbed his eyes, he couldn't see anyone in black clothes.
As Yang Gwan said nothing, the embarrassed Jang So-gil said.
"You can't see them?"
"I can't see them at all. Your internal energy enhancement must be really great, Young Master So."
"Is that so?"
Jang So-gil's eyesight was originally excellent. Even when he didn't have a year's worth of internal energy, there were many times when he showed a level comparable to or greater than Yang Gwan's. But now that he had one sixty-year cycle of internal energy, his eyesight alone had far surpassed Yang Gwan's level. It was probably because while internal energy also had a great influence on senses like eyesight and hearing, innate talent was also greatly reflected.
Still, in terms of hearing, Yang Gwan was still a little better. If not, Yang Gwan's pride would have been greatly hurt.
"Well, for that, your hearing is still quite poor..."
"You really hate to lose too, don't you?"
"You won't find a martial artist who likes to lose anywhere in the world."
As he stubbornly insisted, Yang Gwan checked the village several times.
He couldn't see them. No matter how many times he checked, he couldn't see them.
By the time they entered the village entrance, Yang Gwan had given up on finding the hidden assassins.
"By the way, Young Master So, if you know it's a trap, why are you heading into the trap yourself?"
"Then should I just stay still until the assassin comes? It's better to jump into a trap or whatever and fight quickly."
"Still, it's too reckless."
"There's another reason. What would happen if we fought on Mount Diancang? If the scholars we worked so hard to get were to get caught up in the assassin's assassination attempt and die, it would be hard to get them again. If one person dies, one person's worth of work increases and falls on me and Military Advisor Sima. An increase in workload is a bigger problem than an assassin's attack."
"So that was the reason..."
"Anyway, brace yourself. Those three guys hiding and watching are not all. The Dali Ye Clan and the remnants of the Yuan are probably hiding and have set up a formation in the Jangseong Escort Agency."
After warning Yang Gwan, Jang So-gil clicked his tongue as if he was displeased.
"Damn it, if I had my way, I'd set a fire first. But there's no guarantee that the entire Jangseong Escort Agency is the enemy, so I can't do that."
"Young Master So, have you perhaps taken a liking to setting fires?"
"Yes. I didn't know it myself, but I really like setting fires. I want to set a fire whenever I get a chance."
After sighing, Yang Gwan narrowed his eyes. Now, even with his eyesight, he could see the assassins. The fiends, wearing stealth clothes and hiding between the roofs and straw, were looking this way.
As Yang Gwan's face hardened a little, Jang So-gil patted his shoulder and laughed.
"Then let's go in. To catch a tiger in a tiger's den."
* * *
Jang So-gil, who had entered the Jangseong Escort Agency and was checking the situation, was at a loss for words for a moment.
The escort leader, amidst the wounded escorts, bowed his head, untied the bundle tightly sealed with silk, and showed the manual. The manual had some blood on the outside, but its condition was good. So the reason Jang So-gil was at a loss for words was because of the rising stars of the Huashan Sect.
"Is there no danger to their lives?"
"I'm sorry, but... that..."
"So there is a danger."
It was understandable that the escort leader, Oh Jangseong, trailed off. The two martial artists of the Huashan Sect were truly a complete mess.
Bandages wrapped around their entire bodies, sweat flowing like rain, and groans. They hadn't even regained consciousness yet. When he asked what had happened, he was told they had been poisoned.
"Poison, what kind of poison?"
"Th-that is-!"
The escort leader couldn't bring himself to speak.
Glancing sideways, Yang Gwan searched his memory and spoke.
"Bandits often use grass poison, which is made by crushing grass, and dung poison."
"...Why?"
"Because it's free."
"Ah."
"Judging by the millet-like rashes on their necks and arms, it's dung poison."
Jang So-gil, who had been maintaining a serious demeanor, covered his mouth. A laugh burst out. What could be funnier than the rising stars of a prestigious orthodox sect being on the verge of death from dung poison?
"It's not a laughing matter. It's more fatal than it looks, and the mortality rate is very high."
"I-is that so."
Their outsides were a complete mess, and their insides were rotting from poison. At this rate, would they be able to survive after a long-distance escort?
The trembling escort leader couldn't even make eye contact and just waited for Jang So-gil's words with his eyes lowered.
Jang So-gil, who was looking down at the patients, shook his head.
"A doctor will be needed for these people on this escort."
"Y-yes, that's right."
"In that case, isn't the penalty too small?"
"So this is the proposal I'm making, but would it be alright if we helped with the escort? We don't need any payment."
"Ho. Free service, so you're saying you'll pay with your bodies."
"That's right. We can prepare five first-class escorts."
It wasn't a bad story.
Since the labor costs of five escorts from the Anqing Escort Agency would be reduced, it would be a profitable business even if they were accompanied by a doctor.
This was clearly the utmost sign of their sincerity, but.
"Hmmmm."
Jang So-gil watched the escort leader and the six people guarding his side with interested eyes.
Then he changed his expression as if he was bored and said.
"Five is too few. How about seven?"
"S-seven is too many. How about six?"
"Six. Six is good too, but then how about three special-class escorts instead of first-class escorts?"
"Many people have died and been injured, so there are only two special-class escorts available now."
"Then two special-class escorts and four first-class escorts."
"Ah, no. That is..."
"If not that, then one special-class escort and nine first-class escorts."
The escort leader's face changed from moment to moment.
When he responded, Jang So-gil immediately changed the conditions.
He changed, and changed, and changed, and changed.
It was driving him crazy as he twisted the terms of the deal by changing his words several times.
There was no greater stubbornness than this.
It was a verbal violence carried out with the tiger of the Martial Alliance on his back.
Oh Jangseong, who had been calculating according to Jang So-gil's terms of the deal, finally lost the color from his face and begged.
"Oh my-! Inspector, all we have left now are a few escorts and a small amount of wealth. Please take back your words."
"Well, I know it's excessive."
"What?"
Jang So-gil took a step forward and smiled.
"In the first place. I really hate the words 'free service'. Money, you see, is for the giver to place responsibility on the other party. And for the receiver, it means they will take that responsibility. Do you understand? To say you will serve for free means you will make an irresponsible deal with each other, and I am a person who despises such deals."
"Then why are you being so vicious to me?"
"Hmm, I will apologize for that. It has been determined that the escort leader is not guilty, so you may rest easy."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"This is what I mean."
Jang So-gil, who had approached with a smile, drew his sword like lightning and swung it.
At the same time as the sword was drawn, one person's head flew off.
It was one of the six men who had been guarding the escort leader's side.
At the sudden attack, the escort leader was terrified and fell over, and Jang So-gil shouted.
"The guy with the mole next to his nose. The guy with the scar on the back of his hand. The guy with no hair. These three are spies! Cut them down!"
"As you command-!"
Without a word, Yang Gwan thrust his spear. In an instant, the chest of the man with no hair on his head was pierced.
In an instant, two people were dead.
Jang So-gil shouted again.
"The rest of you, lie down as you are. If you resist, you will also be cut down!"
As they promptly lay down, the remaining two took out weapons from their bosoms. One's weapon was a dagger, and the other's was a silver thread. The dagger was a weapon to pose an immediate threat, and the silver thread was a weapon used to secure an escape route. They say you can read the situation by looking at the weapons, and it was exactly like that. The one with the dagger rushed forward to stab, and the one with the silver thread tried to escape out the window. It must have been their own coordination and a pre-planned strategy.
Jang So-gil, who had quickly read that, twisted the White Azure Divine Sword. Then, cold energy spewed out from the sword.
"Keok-!"
The Soul-Stealing Flash pierced the brow of the man with the dagger. The small hole made a cracking sound and froze, and eventually, it burst. At the moment it burst, Yang Gwan threw his spear and pierced the belly of the one who was trying to escape.
Yang Gwan grumbled.
"Please give me a signal first. What am I supposed to do if you start so suddenly?"
"You should be able to match me well. If you can't even do that, quit being a Dragon."
(End of Chapter)