Chapter 291: Tangent (3)

The crowd split along the tip of Qing’s extended sword.

As if a cannonball was about to fire from the sword tip, people shouted and split left and right, opening a single-file gap in the previously solid encirclement.

A narrow straight path opened up all the way to the edge of the open space.

Then there was a commotion midway, and a man was pushed out onto the path.

The man staggered, then saw Qing’s sword tip pointed at him and turned pale, trying to burrow back into the crowd.

What’s this? Does he think some beam is going to shoot out of my sword? But, hmm. This is kind of fun.

However, the man was roughly pushed out by the crowd again and fell hard on his backside.

“N-not me!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! You were the one shouting!”

“I heard you clearly from right next to me!”

Qing’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s this? You shouted so boldly before, but now you’re denying it when called out?”

“W-well, that…”

“Who are you to keep objecting? Hmm. Do you know him?”

Qing asked the designer.

But the designer just shook his head.

“I don’t know him.”

“He says he doesn’t. Does anyone know this person?”

Qing is someone who asks if she doesn’t know.

And indeed, the power of collective intelligence was great.

“That guy, isn’t he the server from Jeha Inn?”

“You’re right! I thought I recognized the voice!”

Unlike Qing’s homeland, neighborly bonds are still strong in the Central Plains.

And neighborly bonds mean information, so in any neighborhood you can recognize everyone in the village after living there for just a week.

So his identity was quickly revealed by the enthusiastic response.

“A server? No wonder his voice was so loud. Hey, why do you keep objecting?”

“Well, I heard it clearly!”

The server spilled his story, perhaps because he was already exposed.

During the peak of construction last winter, carpenters from Jangheung Company who were in charge of construction came for a company dinner.

Company dinners naturally involve alcohol, and when the alcohol content exceeds a certain level, things that should and shouldn’t be said come out indiscriminately.

And strangely, in the Central Plains, the West, and Qing’s homeland, people have a habit of not treating servers as people but as background.

So the server heard clearly:

“They said it was an impossible design from the start! Who in the world would build sluice gates and embankments like that? They cursed up a storm saying it was a design made by a bookworm who had never experienced a construction site!”

“Oh?”

At this, Qing looked at the designer again.

The designer’s expression twisted.

“What part of it is an impossible design!? I designed it to be as easy as possible from the foundation to the superstructure, so you just had to build and fill and stack! Isn’t that why the authorities chose my design!?”

Qing didn’t understand the civil engineering terms, and even if she had that knowledge, she wouldn’t have understood anyway since the terms in her homeland and the Central Plains were different.

The server stammered at the designer’s protest:

“Well, I don’t know about that… I just heard it that way…”

“You’re quite a troublesome person. In a life or death situation, shouting like that is like holding a funeral for someone, isn’t it?”

“But because of him this disaster…”

“Don’t we still not know if it’s because of him or not? If it’s revealed later, you can hang or burn him then.”

“Well…”

The server averted his gaze.

In fact, it’s a natural human instinct to look for someone to blame in the face of a great disaster.

Human history is like the history of scapegoats, a defense mechanism to try to resolve unfair grievances with nowhere to vent by blaming someone, to calm burning feelings that way.

“But Jangheung Company?”

“They’re the company in charge of flood control construction.”

The flood control construction process was like this:

When the authorities announce flood control construction, merchant groups apply and a construction company is selected.

At the same time, designs are also solicited and outstanding ones are chosen.

After that, the authorities give the selected merchant group the design and construction costs.

As an aside, the reason for gathering designs and construction separately was the Central Plains’ own anti-corruption measure.

But officials of China have never been uncorrupt from past to future, not even once.

Originally, the design should be made and handed down by the flood control officer of the authorities.

But flood control officer is a position that essentially doesn’t exist, filled by the son or friend of a superior, or even a made-up name written in the official register to embezzle salary.

So they solicit designs too under the pretext of giving talented civilians a chance to make a name for themselves.

Since it’s “granting” an opportunity to make a name, of course they don’t pay for the designs.

Not only do they not pay for designs, you should praise the integrity of officials who adopt designs without taking bribes.

“Jangheung Company. So if the design was fine, there was a problem with the construction?”

“Ahem.”

“Jangheung Company is…”

“Hmm…”

Somehow the crowd’s reaction is lukewarm.

What’s this? Why?

I thought they would immediately shout to burn them down or something.

When Jangheung Company’s name came out, the atmosphere suddenly sank and everyone sighed, drooping their shoulders and quietly starting to disperse and disappear.

What’s with this atmosphere?

As if it’s some taboo that can’t be named, that shouldn’t be spoken of, like that person.

As Qing was puzzled wondering what was going on, the designer made a deep bow.

“I haven’t properly greeted my benefactor. I am Yak Jungyun, and boy, greet our benefactor.”

“I’m Yak Jijun.”

“Hmm. What will you do now? It seems dangerous for you to stay in the city.”

“That’s true, but with the roads in chaos and the times unsettled, we’re in no position to go anywhere.”

Robbers and thieves run rampant after disasters.

Though the city is dangerous, it’s probably better than the current main roads.

“Hmm. I’m on my way to Luoning Martial Arts Hall now, hmm. I’ll ask if they can protect you there for a while.”

“How can I repay such kindness, I didn’t know the words thank you could be such an inadequate expression.”

“Hmm.”

Qing made an embarrassed expression.

It’s called protection, but it’s also surveillance.

There’s no guarantee the design was flawless and there were no problems, right?

If he’s innocent it would be protection, but if it turns out later there were problems with the design from the start, then it would become imprisonment.

As the crowd dispersed like that, Yak Jungyun readily offered to drive the carriage, so Qing also got in the carriage, leaving behind the horse’s rump she was starting to grow fond of.

She was about to get in.

“Miss! Miss Ximen! I see you here!”

“Oh? That.”

Qing tilted her head.

Someone was greeting her very warmly and making a fuss, hmm, who was it?

The face seemed somewhat familiar so it wasn’t completely unfamiliar, but if asked who it was she had no idea, that kind of vaguely known person.

“Who are you? Do I know you?”

Qing examined the man carefully.

Judging by the thick calluses on the back of his hands and the many scars, he seemed to be a half-baked martial artist called a fighter.

Strange.

I’ve never shared a table with fighters who aren’t Shaolin monks?

Ah. There were those ronin, right. But this isn’t the ronin mister?

At this, the man made a commotion:

“This lowly one is called Geol Taran. We’ve only met a few times at Seol Family Company so of course you wouldn’t remember me, but seeing you made my heart pound with such excitement that I ended up causing this commotion. Hehe.”

“Ah. You’re from the company? What brings you here? What, has Seol Family Company expanded here?”

“Please, lower your speech. And this lowly one is the Luoning branch manager of Taecheong Company.”

“Huh? You changed jobs?”

“You can think of it as an allied, brother company. Hmm. That’s right. To put it bluntly.”

Geol Taran made a circle with his thumb and index finger and continued:

“You could say we have the same investor.”

“Ah. The same investor.”

Qing immediately understood.

It meant Seol Family Company and Taecheong Company had the same person or parent company with a large stake providing funds.

What Qing doesn’t know is the investor’s identity.

The investor is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

So a top agent of the Demonic Cult’s Covert Operations Division (formerly top assassin, the job title changed) seeing Qing was overjoyed beyond measure.

Moreover, when Qing subdued the crowd with one stomp, the great majesty he felt from that.

Holding back tears of joy 100 times.

Holding back prostrating 500 times.

“Hehe, please lower your speech.”

“No, how can I? I’m not someone associated with the company.”

“That’s not it. Chief Choi told us to treat you as an elder if we see you.”

“Chief Choi? The old man?”

“Yes, he recently opened a new company with investment from the investor. So you are my superior too.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Hmm. The old man. He’s capable.

If it’s the old man’s company, huh.

Qing asked just in case:

“By any chance, is the name Taecheong Company…”

“Hehe. Of course it’s taken from your name.”

“No, why use someone else’s name so casually.”

No, it’s burdensome.

But the old man is definitely the type of person to do that.

But if it’s the old man’s company, can’t I use it a bit?

“This works out well. The city is in this state so I was thinking of providing some relief…”

“My goodness, how can you be so compassionate? Your heart is as beautiful as your appearance.”

“Hmm. I have some gold, how much help would 40 guan be?”

“Please lower your speech a bit…”

“Oh. Okay.”

Qing felt a bit awkward trying to lower her speech to a complete stranger even for her.

But Geol Taran seemed satisfied.

“You mean gold? But we’re already preparing relief efforts, so you don’t need to give away your precious wealth.”

“Oh? You’re preparing relief efforts?”

“Please speak more comfortably…”

“You’re already preparing relief efforts?”

“Yes. What use is business when the city has been struck? People need to survive first.”

Though he says that, Taecheong Company’s purpose from the start was relief efforts.

This is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s dirty scheme to capture people’s hearts through relief efforts and infiltrate the Central Plains!

Just as they were slowly infiltrating Henan land timed with when floods would occur, a proper flood hit.

Thanks to this, Geol Taran was singing with joy seeing the city washed away overnight.

Thinking heaven must be protecting the Divine Cult to give such a good opportunity.

“Hmm. You’re doing good work. No, you are.”

Qing said that not knowing the circumstances.

But even if she knew the circumstances she would have said the same thing.

It’s not like they deliberately caused the flood, so even if the purpose is a bit impure, relief is still relief, she would think.

“Hehe. Could you praise me a bit more?”

“Oh. Good job? Excellent?”

“Kuhuk.”

Suddenly Geol Taran’s eyes turned red.

After all, he was not only facing the descended Heavenly Demon Lord but even receiving praise.

Since they’re Covert Operations agents who see and experience the outside world firsthand through external activities, they’re Heavenly Demon fanatics thoroughly brainwashed from infancy.

Oh, Heavenly Demon Lord.

My light, my salvation, the reason for my life.

Qing who doesn’t know the circumstances just feels a bit uncomfortable.

Hmm. Is this something to be so moved about?

Isn’t he a bit strange?

Is Taecheong Company really okay like this?

Using someone else’s name and failing is a bit…

“Still, the more you add to good deeds the better. I was worried the gold I entrusted might leak out, but this worked out well.”

She was planning to do relief efforts anyway but only had gold ingots and didn’t know exactly what to do.

Her idea after some thought was to entrust it to the orthodox martial arts hall, use her name too, and hope they would use it diligently, so she was heading to Luoning Martial Arts Hall.

But if it’s the old man’s company, she can just entrust it to them with full trust.