The Miraculous Divorce Technique

Chapter 25

After leaving Lee Munjung's house and returning to his lodging, he examined the baby monkeys.

He didn't know what they had been fed, but they still hadn't woken up.

"But what should I feed them..."

The baby monkeys were small enough to be nursing.

"Ah. Well, I'll think about it when they wake up."

'A monkey nanny, of all things.'

Cheok Sagyeol turned his gaze away from the monkeys with the thought of thinking about it later.

'I have some time left, should I go to the Falcon Courier Guild?'

The Falcon Courier Guild was a sect that had a communication network in each province, where one could rent carrier pigeons and carrier falcons.

It was a troublesome but necessary task to screw over certain bastards.

* * *

The next day.

Right after eating breakfast at the inn, Cheok Sagyeol headed for the Luoyang branch.

On his back was a box full of spoons and chopsticks.

"Has no one come yet?"

As soon as Cheok Sagyeol arrived, he put the box down in front of the reception desk and sat on it.

There was still a long time until the hour of the monkey, so he was waiting.

"Have you already found out?"

Bungsangae asked, looking at the relaxed Cheok Sagyeol.

'His assignment must have been the number of spoons and chopsticks in the Prefectural Governor's private residence...'

The three examiners had deliberately assigned the highest difficulty, so they were sure he would be the last to come.

But he had appeared first.

"I came because I found out. Can't I just submit it now? It's boring to wait."

At Cheok Sagyeol's question, Jindeokgae shook his head and said.

"No, you can't. The submission time must be observed. You may not know, but if a competitor changes the answer, your answer could be wrong. Will you still wait here like that?"

"They won't be able to change it, so I don't care."

He answered confidently because he had already taken control of the situation.

One hour, two hours.

Time passed relentlessly, and still, no one other than Cheok Sagyeol had returned to the reception desk.

But at that moment, as if to show off, a chatterbox appeared. It was Bongdu.

"Hey. You came in first."

"..."

"Hey, friend, do you think of me as a competitor?"

"..."

'He's a really noisy guy.'

'He doesn't even answer, but he's chattering away by himself.'

"My assignment was to find out how many times the courtesans of the Fragrant Incense Pavilion received night guests last night. You weren't near the Fragrant Incense Pavilion, so it seems we're not competitors. Right?"

"Hah..."

Cheok Sagyeol was at a loss for words.

'The number of a courtesan's night guests...'

'His assignment, too, why do we have to find out such things?' He was dumbfounded.

"Seeing that expression, you must be envious, hehe. Don't even mention it. I watched the courtesans' butts wiggle all night, so my lower body is sore."

"..."

Cheok Sagyeol sighed and turned his head away.

Bongdu continued to chatter next to him, talking about the art of the bedchamber and what not.

In that moment, it became the hour of the monkey.

"Now, we will start receiving the answer sheets."

At Samsalgae's words, Cheok Sagyeol submitted his sealed letter first.

Then, in the order of their arrival, twenty applicants submitted their answer sheets, and the examiners began to sort them by assignment.

When the sorting was finished, Samsalgae took three sealed letters and opened them.

"I will announce the assignment of the first applicant to submit, Yeom Jang, and call out the successful candidate."

Samsalgae, who had glanced at the three answers, immediately made the announcement.

"The assignment was the number of spoons and chopsticks in the private residence of Prefectural Governor Lee Munjung. The submitted answers are as follows. Applicant Yeom Jang, 1; applicant Lee So, 0; applicant Bang Jinmok, 300. Each of you, tell me how you obtained the information."

Samsalgae called on Bang Jinmok first.

"I obtained the relevant information from the Jinlin Merchant Guild, which supplies goods to the Prefectural Governor's residence. The number of spoons and chopsticks recorded in their ledger was 300."

"Disqualified. That is past information, not current information. The applicant should have acted with the understanding that information is fluid. It's unfortunate, but it seems the applicant's fate with our sect ends here."

Next, Samsalgae pointed to Lee So.

"I bribed a servant of that residence to find out the information. He said that last night, some old monk came talking about a demon and took all the spoons and chopsticks. That's why I wrote 0."

"Disqualified. How can a beggar use the means of bribery? You seem to lack the qualities of a beggar."

"No, weren't there no restrictions on the means of intelligence gathering other than the use of force!"

"Just because there are no restrictions, forgetting one's duty is something the demonic path does! Do you really not know that our sect is of the righteous faction?! Also, your answer is not correct, so accept your disqualification."

At Samsalgae's words, Lee So asked with an aggrieved expression.

"Everything else is fine! But what do you mean the answer is not correct? I even confirmed that all of the Prefectural Governor's family members ate their breakfast with their hands!"

"We will hear that answer from applicant Yeom Jang. Applicant Yeom Jang."

As Samsalgae turned to him, Cheok Sagyeol raised the corners of his mouth and said.

"This morning. That old monk secretly went over the back wall and buried one spoon under a plum tree. That's why the answer is 1."

Of course, that old monk was himself.

The whole picture was this.

First, get all the spoons and chopsticks.

It was a necessary act to take control of the situation, as there was a possibility that competitors or the Beggars' Sect would play tricks.

Second, hide one spoon.

This was in preparation for a competitor who might submit the same answer.

One might think that someone else could have brought another spoon, but that was a useless worry.

A person of the Prefectural Governor's stature would have his family crest engraved on even a single spoon.

Some high-ranking officials even had their crests engraved on gold ingots to show off their power.

In other words, to add a spoon, one had to prepare a spoon with the Prefectural Governor's family crest engraved on it in a short time.

There was no way a newcomer would be that smart and diligent.

"But how did you know that the old monk had taken the spoons and chopsticks?"

"While monitoring the private residence, I spotted a suspicious-looking old monk and followed him, but he suddenly threw the box into the river. I picked it up, and when I opened it, it was full of spoons and chopsticks. After that, I looked at the chief steward's ledger and was convinced that the answer sheet was in my hands."

TAP. TAP.

Cheok Sagyeol tapped the box he was sitting on as if to say that it was that box.

"Your purpose was the number of spoons and chopsticks, so why did you follow the old monk?"

"At first, it was a hunch. But if I had to give a reason, I suspected that the Beggars' Sect might do so disguised as an old monk. And this morning, when I saw that old monk burying one spoon, I was convinced. That my hunch was right."

'A newcomer can't be too perfect.'

Cheok Sagyeol showed a flaw, as if he had mistaken his own actions for those of the Beggars' Sect.

Of course, the result was perfect.

"Hahaha. Unfortunately, your hunch was wrong. He was not a beggar, but the Drunken Buddha, Muheo. A maverick of Shaolin. Since he does a lot of strange things, it's not unreasonable for you to have thought so. But intuition and suspicion are important qualities for an intelligence agent. I can't help but praise you."

"...Hmm. Is that so?"

Cheok Sagyeol acted as if he were disappointed to be wrong.

Samsalgae had a pleased expression.

Also, in any case, the answer received from the subordinates he had placed was also 1, so Yeom Jang had passed.

"The first successful candidate is Yeom Jang. Congratulations on joining the Beggars' Sect."

"Thank you."

Next to him, Jindeokgae was also looking at Cheok Sagyeol with satisfaction.

'What happened last night must have been that old monster Muheo playing a prank on the Beggars' Sect's test assignment. For that to become a blessing in disguise and a clue for that fellow to pass. Hehe, considering that luck is also a quality of an intelligence agent, a decent fellow has joined.'

Bungsangae's expression as he looked at Jindeokgae and Samsalgae was ambiguous.

'To think that bastard who kicked me was chosen... But looking at those friends' expressions, I can't even object.'

Bungsangae didn't like Cheok Sagyeol, but since the other Hall Leaders liked him, he couldn't pretend not to.

If he said he was the only one who didn't like him when everyone else did, they would see him as a petty person, saying it was because he had been hit.

'Right. That fellow was the only one who got the answer right. He's an excellent bastard. An outstanding bastard. A wonderful bastard.'

Bungsangae repeated it to himself as if casting a spell.

* * *

The seven final successful candidates.

Samsalgae named this unit the Golden Seven Squad.

He said it meant the seven-man squad directly under the Golden Beggar.

"You will be active directly under the Branch Leader from now on. Therefore, from now on, no one, including us three Hall Leaders, will be able to give you orders."

"Does 'no one' include the Sect Leader?"

The one who asked the question was Bongdu.

He, who had been like a chatterbox unbefitting of an intelligence agent, had surprisingly passed the final selection.

"Yes. Even the Sect Leader cannot give you orders. That's how important the Branch Leader's position is in the Beggars' Sect. You must carry out your missions with pride."

"Understood!"

The Golden Seven Squad answered with a resounding voice.

Samsalgae continued to explain.

"You will each receive two names."

"Do you mean we have another name besides our beggar name?"

Samsalgae nodded at Bongdu's question and answered.

"An agent name. In fact, you will use your agent name more often than your beggar name. It means that you will have more things to do under the Branch Leader's secret orders than to act as a beggar."

As Samsalgae looked at Jindeokgae, he turned over the documents and said the beggar names and agent names.

"First, Yeom Jang. Your beggar name is Golden Servant Beggar, and your agent name is One."

'Golden Servant Beggar. A beggar name that makes him look like the Golden Beggar's servant to anyone.'

'One. Was it just randomly chosen because he was the first successful candidate?'

It was a naming sense that only made him laugh in disbelief.

Jindeokgae continued to say the agents' names, and soon it was the last turn.

"Lastly, Bongdu. Your beggar name is Virile Beggar, and your agent name is Seven."

The meaning was 'a beggar who emits essence,' a good meaning.

Well, everyone would know. But it strangely suited Bongdu well.

"Now, I congratulate you on the establishment of the Golden Seven Squad. I hope you will work hard for the Branch Leader and our sect in the future."

As Samsalgae performed a cupped fist salute, Jindeokgae and Bungsangae on either side also showed their respect to the successful candidates with a cupped fist salute.

"For now, the temporary leader is you, Golden Servant Beggar, so follow me. We will go to see the Branch Leader."

At Samsalgae's words, Cheok Sagyeol asked back.

"Aren't the agents going together?"

"The Branch Leader wants a one-on-one meeting. It seems he plans to assign different missions to each of you."

'Is he going to meet them in number order?'

Cheok Sagyeol nodded his head and followed behind Samsalgae.

In the spacious area he was led to, there was no furniture, and only a single straw mat was laid on the seat of honor.

On it, an old beggar, presumed to be the Golden Beggar, was sleeping.

"Branch Leader."

"Snore."

"Branch Leader."

"Umm... huh?"

As Samsalgae shook him awake, the Golden Beggar finally got up.

"What is it?"

"The selection of the Golden Seven Squad is finished. This is the temporary leader, Golden Servant Beggar."

As Samsalgae introduced him, Cheok Sagyeol performed a cupped fist salute and greeted him.

"My name is Golden Servant Beggar."

"Nice to meet you. I am the Golden Beggar."

The Golden Beggar performed a cupped fist salute and showed respect to Cheok Sagyeol.

'Was one of the Four Eccentrics such a polite person?'

He had his doubts, but since it was their first meeting, he let it pass.

"Hall Leader, would you please leave us for a moment? I would like to speak with this person alone."

Come to think of it, the Golden Beggar was also showing respect to his subordinate, Samsalgae.

As Samsalgae left, Cheok Sagyeol carefully examined his surroundings.

'There are no guards around. Is he being careless because this is the heart of the Luoyang branch? Or did he send the guards away for a private meeting?'

Either way, it was a welcome development for Cheok Sagyeol.

"Don't just stand there, please sit comfortably."

The Golden Beggar gestured, pointing to the spot next to him.

Cheok Sagyeol, without rushing, sat down on the straw mat as he was told.

"Please speak comfortably. I am your subordinate, Branch Leader."

"No. I am comfortable like this."

Watching the Golden Beggar wave his hands, Cheok Sagyeol felt a sense of incongruity.

'He's that old monster Muheo's close friend, so he must be rude... Why is he so polite? What's his game?'

Since ancient times, it was said that friends resemble each other.

But the Golden Beggar in front of him was the complete opposite of Muheo.

"I have to see the others as well, so I'll get straight to the point. The reason I picked the Golden Seven Squad is for my personal business. It's because no one in the Beggars' Sect should know about it."

The Golden Beggar's following instructions were simple.

It was to investigate the son of the Baili family, Baili Huang.

In detail, his entire daily routine, such as who he met and what he ate.

"Why do I have to investigate him?"

"Please don't ask for the reason. And..."

Cheok Sagyeol was astonished at the word that came out after a moment's hesitation.

"If you ever see something called the Half-Immortal Wine anywhere, you must bring it to me."

THUMP.

It felt like a stone had fallen on his chest.

At the words 'Half-Immortal Wine,' Cheok Sagyeol's heart was pounding.

But without showing it, he calmly asked.

"What is the Half-Immortal Wine?"

"It's a wine. And... it's a wine, but something else, a drug? No, just bring it to me if you find something like that."

Cheok Sagyeol sensed it from the Golden Beggar's reluctant attitude.

That there was some secret to the Half-Immortal Wine.

But at the words that the Golden Beggar added with hesitation, Cheok Sagyeol's reason snapped.

"Hey, I don't know how this will sound... but if I were to say that a person's soul can be swapped, would you be able to believe it, Golden Servant Beggar?"

Was it because he had been shaken by the Half-Immortal Wine? Cheok Sagyeol, with bloodshot eyes, rushed at him without realizing it and pressed down on the Golden Beggar's neck.

"You fucking son of a bitch, so it was your doing after all!"

(End of Chapter)