The Mad Dog Inspector of the Martial Alliance

Chapter 90 : Pacifying the Western Great Mountain (3)

"A wise rabbit digs three burrows, they say. Aren't you all people who have lived with your necks held high in this business? This is not the time to spare a burrow to escape. Bring out all the methods you have hidden away."

"Well, that's..."

"I even sold my friendship with the Sword Dragon. I have no way back now!"

"But you see. That fellow called the inspector has no weaknesses."

Everyone in the world was bound to have at least one weakness. If you attacked their greed, it would soon become a weakness. The desire for fame to raise one's name. Greed for wealth. There were plenty of people who were weak to lust and gluttony, and the same went for martial artists who coveted good martial arts and elixirs.

But Jang So-gil had no weaknesses.

"His greed for money is enormous, but since his talent for making money is so extraordinary, he consistently ignores the money others give him, saying he doesn't need it. So he cannot be persuaded with money."

He could not be won over with money. It wasn't because he had no greed for money, but because his ability to make money was so outstanding that there was no way to match that amount.

"For a young brat, he doesn't even show interest in women, like a Daoist who has lived his whole life. I tried to win him over with three beauties. But he broke the head of the person I sent to win him over."

The beauty trap didn't work either. Simply because he had no interest.

Then what about his greed for martial arts, his weakness as a martial artist and an avenger?

"It's no use. I heard that his greed for martial arts is also tremendous, but that's a false rumor. I sent a person to negotiate with the 'Invincible Sword Manual' that I had obtained with difficulty, but he snorted and refused. It's clear that he has no interest in martial arts."

"Invincible Sword Manual? What's that, a martial art with such a childish name?"

"Childish name! You mean you don't know the strongest invincible person in Gansu Province?!"

"Even if a person I've never heard of has a nickname like 'invincible' something, it doesn't really strike me and is rather embarrassing. Besides, if it's Gansu Province, it's the backwoods of the backwoods, so what's so great about it? The inspector had a good reason to refuse."

"How dare you insult my maternal grandfather!"

"If he was your maternal grandfather, I can imagine his level."

"No, this bastard, when did he see me to keep picking a fight!"

Eventually, a fight broke out among themselves, and they started throwing punches. The meeting was becoming more and more of a mess.

Watching the mess unfold, the sect leader of the Yeosang Mun beat his chest.

"I'm going to die of frustration, I'm going to die."

"It seems that among the people gathered here, you are the only one who makes sense."

"Tsk, if it weren't for the sect leader of the Gonggeun Mun, I would have died of a fit of anger here. Anyway, it seems there's no sharp countermeasure."

"My last resort was to give a hint to the Sword Dragon and lead him that way."

"If it's the Sword Dragon, he will surely handle the matter well. Isn't he the best talent produced by Huashan?"

His skill was his skill, but his character was also reliable. Even if he drank, ate meat, had a rough mouth, and acted radically. The Sword Dragon Song Baek was a real Daoist.

The Daoist title 'Myeongseong Jinren' was not an empty name. He was the pride of Huashan who truly cared for the common people and punished evil. So even his complete scoundrel-like words and deeds did not become a flaw.

"Let's trust him."

It was when the sect leader of the Gonggeun Mun said so and nodded his head. With a 'kwang' sound, the door of the village hall flew open coolly.

A man walked inside. The splendid plum blossom pattern drawn on his black clothes. It was the clothes of a Plum Blossom Swordsman.

Since everyone in Huashan knew it, it was a symbol of the Huashan Dharma protectors that commanded respect just by looking at the attire.

"D-do you know who he is?"

"I don't know either..."

But the person inside the clothes was someone he had never seen before.

He was handsome, but his wicked eyes, which seemed to look down on people from above the sky, and his mouth, full of a sneer, had a demonic charm that made one clench their fists just by looking at them.

He had never seen a Plum Blossom Swordsman with such a face.

"Isn't he an impostor?"

"The clothes of a Plum Blossom Swordsman seem to be right."

"Would there be a madman who would impersonate the Huashan Sect in Shaanxi Province?"

Everyone had the same thought. They didn't know such a Plum Blossom Swordsman. Then who on earth was that person?

The man of mystery raised the corners of his mouth.

"I was wondering where you were hiding, but you were all gathered here. Sect Leader Daltap, Sect Leader Gonggeun, Sect Leader Yeosang. And so on, and so on, sect leaders. Let's see, just counting the heads, there are nine of you here. What a catch. It was worth the effort of searching."

"Who are you?"

"A Plum Blossom Swordsman."

"I have never seen a Plum Blossom Swordsman like you!"

"A King of Hell more frightening than you've ever seen."

"K-King of Hell?"

"An inspector of the Martial Alliance more frightening than that."

"Inspector!?"

Agitation spread like a candle dropped on a dry pile of straw. A person who spat out curses, a person who hurriedly stood up and overturned the table, a person who looked for a weapon, a person who hid behind the ruffians he employed.

Although the reactions were varied, there was one thing in common. Not a single person was friendly.

Jang So-gil, watching it leisurely as if watching a play, said.

"You sent your underlings disgustingly, but since you were just chatting away in a place like this, this must be the first time you've seen me. Now, this is what an inspector looks like. Two eyes, one nose, two nostrils. A mouth well-placed below it, and two healthy ears. A broad forehead and fair skin, and a handsome appearance, so it's an appearance sufficient to melt the hearts of many. Since I'm this handsome, you'll be able to recognize me whenever and wherever you see me in the future."

He slowly approached. And then, with a smooth expression, he flicked his finger.

"Then let's talk business now. You damn tax thieves, give me the money. Or put up a futile resistance."

At his arrogant attitude, a hot heat soared from his chest to his throat. Was this what anger was, so clear and hot? Suppressing his anger, the sect leader of the Gonggeun Mun asked back.

"Why are you wearing the clothes of a Plum Blossom Swordsman?"

"This? It's nothing. A fellow named Song Baek came to find me and, saying he really wanted to help my great cause, left his clothes and went."

Song Baek, his clothes?

Sect Leader Gonggeun flared up.

"Th-that's absurd! Why would he leave his clothes to you?"

"That's right. It's clear that you took them by force!"

"You evil villain! To harm a swordsman of the Huashan Sect and take his clothes, are you not afraid of the heavens!"

Was Song Baek's change of heart so surprising?

Jang So-gil shrugged his shoulders and shook the sleeve embroidered with a plum blossom pattern.

"Afraid of the heavens? These people say quite interesting things."

"To insult the Huashan Sect in Huashan. You must have been prepared!"

"Well, I did come to Huashan with some preparation. But I was prepared."

"...?"

"I don't know if you bastards were prepared."

Dozens of ruffians holding weapons.

Jang So-gil walked nonchalantly, as if he couldn't even see them.

"Let's say you thieves are right for now. Then I would be an evil villain who has harmed the pride of the number one sword sect in the world, a Plum Blossom Swordsman, and taken his clothes. But with such a person in front of you with a sword, are you not afraid?"

"...!!"

Sect Leader Gonggeun's face turned pale. If it was the Sword Dragon Song Baek, even if there were dozens of ruffians here, if he was determined to kill them, he could slaughter them all in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. If that fellow was really a master stronger than Song Baek, it was this side that should be afraid.

Jang So-gil chuckled.

"I should be afraid of the heavens. But you should be afraid of me."

"Th-the Huashan Sect will not stand by!"

Even in this situation, it was the Huashan Sect in the end.

Jang So-gil felt with his skin how much these people relied on the Huashan Sect. And how insignificantly they treated the country and the Martial Alliance.

"To think you believe the Huashan Sect will protect you even in this situation, it's almost like a religion at this point."

To think that even wearing the clothes of a Plum Blossom Swordsman as a shock therapy wouldn't work. Should he have brought Song Baek himself?

No, that would be too troublesome. Song Baek was currently on Mount Hua, doing the important work of explaining this matter and Jang So-gil to the other people of the Huashan Sect.

Since Myeongseong Jinren himself was delivering the information packaged in the name of loyalty and righteousness, the effect would be sufficient. And the Huashan Sect would not get involved in this matter.

Jang So-gil snorted and sneered at the merchants wearing the masks of sect leaders.

"The Huashan Sect is the Huashan Sect, and taxes are taxes. Anyway, while I was having a pleasant conversation with you all, the escape route was blocked. Look behind you."

"What's that... Heok!"

Sect Leader Yeosang, following Jang So-gil's gaze, looked behind him and let out a scream of astonishment. At some point, the back door was blocked by a large, thick tree.

What on earth had happened? As he was looking, on top of the tree, a dark-skinned girl was sitting, swinging her feet.

Don't tell me that child?

His thoughts did not continue for long.

"What, do you think I was just talking with you because I had nothing to do? I was buying time to block the escape route. Now that there's no escape route, you have two choices. Sit down and prepare to offer me money. Or take up your weapons and resist. Which will you choose?"

Those who were quick at calculation already knew that things were flowing in the worst direction. Sect Leader Yeosang and Sect Leader Gonggeun flopped down in their seats, showing that they had no intention of resisting. Following them, the ruffians they employed sat down obediently.

Unlike the two who had chosen to give up, the remaining seven sect leaders decided to resist. The one who stood at the forefront was Sect Leader Daltap, who was famous for his quick temper.

He let out a command.

"What are you just looking at! Attack!"

The ruffians under Sect Leader Daltap were well-trained hunting dogs. If their master gave a command, a hunting dog would rush at and bite even a large wild boar. Even if they knew they would die by the large tusks of the wild boar, even if the hair on their backs stood on end at its snorting, they would rush.

There was the grace of being fed, housed, and raised. But the punishment for running away alone in this situation was more frightening than a wild boar.

"Uryaryaryarya-!"

"Attack! Attack!"

The ruffians, who rushed while covering their fear with a loud battle cry.

Jang So-gil, who was watching them with a languid eye, nodded his head.

"That's right, that's right. It's rarer for a fellow not to resist. Let's see."

Two who had obediently accepted the situation. Seven who were resisting.

If he demanded four hundred taels each from these seven as just compensation for damages, the total would be two thousand eight hundred taels.

To think it was two thousand eight hundred taels for using a little force.

"Hehe. Making money is so easy."

He was so glad he had become an inspector. Jang So-gil flicked the White Azure Divine Sword hanging from his waist and gripped it.

Human-shaped gold ingots were rolling in.

* * *

Dozens of men trembling like aspen trees. They were all ruffians who had been caught in the Soul-Stealing Ice Art.

The Ice Art was an excellent martial art for subduing a large number of people at the same time. The cold qi of the Ice Art could only be blocked with internal energy, and since Jang So-gil's internal energy had reached one sixty-year cycle with the power of an elixir, it was only natural that these ruffians could not handle it.

Just being caught in it made fighting impossible. Their limbs were paralyzed and their mouths were twisted.

"It's cold, isn't it?"

"Ughhhhh."

"Let's go. To a warm place."

Ye-er pushed the ruffians with her foot and rolled them to one side. And with a pre-prepared straw rope, she tied them up like dried corvinas and laid them out in the front yard. It was a measure to let them thaw their bodies in the sunlight.

The sunlight that melted the cold qi was so warm and grateful that it felt like a mother's embrace. The ruffians who were suffering were so sad that tears welled up in their eyes.

Jang So-gil, leaving such ruffians behind, looked through the pile of ledgers that were stacked like a mountain.

"As expected, the difference between smart guys and stupid guys is obvious at a glance. The guys who surrendered right away, their work is quite clean. Just by looking at the ledger, I can roughly see how the business is running, and I can guess how much tax they have to pay. But..."

Jang So-gil clicked his tongue.

"You seven who rushed at me, the omissions in your ledgers are enormous, so most of you probably don't even know how much you're earning from your own businesses. And you still hold your heads high as merchants?"

(End of Chapter)