Chapter v13c19

“What should we do now?” Mo Yong-hwi asked urgently.

He had been restless for a while. Eun Seol-ran’s kidnapping had managed to shake even the usually calm and collected Mo Yong-hwi, the Seven Absolute Swords, a man known for his unwavering composure.

He remembered her tears, shimmering under the veil of moonlight.

‘I don’t want to see that again!’

The thought of her being afraid, trapped somewhere, tore at his heart. He tried to calm himself, but it was difficult.

“Are you smitten?” Bi Ryu-yeon asked casually.

Mo Yong-hwi jumped.

“W-What are you talking about? Smitten? I’ve never thought of her that way… I’m just worried about her as an acquaintance… I mean…”

His face flushed red, his emotions betraying him.

‘He’s kind of cute when he’s flustered!’

The uptight, righteous Mo Yong-hwi wasn’t made entirely of iron and ice after all.

Bi Ryu-yeon chuckled.

“You’re not very convincing with that blushing face.”

It was time to come up with a new plan.

Bi Ryu-yeon looked at Noh Hak. It was time for the beggar to prove his worth.

**Finding Her Whereabouts…**

**11 PM, Western Peak Branch of the Beggars’ Sect, Huayin County, Shaanxi Province**

Wu Gai, the leader of the Western Peak Branch of the Beggars’ Sect, had been rudely awakened from his sleep. It was a bolt from the blue, the sudden arrival of unexpected visitors.

The Beggars’ Sect had branches everywhere, their presence felt in every corner of the martial world. And this place was no exception.

It was called the Western Peak Branch because it was responsible for Mount Hua and its surrounding areas.

It wasn’t a grand building, but a makeshift structure built under a bridge, a jumble of branches and straw mats that somehow managed to withstand the wind. But it had expanded over time, as more branches and mats were added, until it occupied a sizable area.

This was the territory of the Mount Hua Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, so the branch was modest. Its power was also limited. But it survived because it served as a communication channel with the Mount Hua Sect, a hub for information exchange. They didn’t interfere in any conflicts or power struggles. That’s why their status was lower than other branches.

Wu Gai glared at Noh Hak, his eyes filled with annoyance. He was still upset about being woken up. But he couldn’t complain, because Noh Hak’s rank was higher than his. Noh Hak felt a twinge of guilt.

“They would want to avoid attention. They wouldn’t waste time transporting a beautiful woman like her. Because she’s conspicuous!”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, looking around. He had somehow become the leader of the rescue team. Everyone listened to him and followed his instructions. It happened naturally.

“They probably used a carriage!”

“Right!”

Jang Hong agreed. Bi Ryu-yeon’s deductions had been flawless so far. And their biggest enemy was time. They couldn’t afford to waste time arguing.

“Sunset was at 6 PM today. That narrows down our search. Do you have any information about carriage movements?”

Bi Ryu-yeon looked at Noh Hak, who looked at Wu Gai. Wu Gai was flustered. It was such an obvious question…

‘Well, it happens!’

Wu Gai said,

“Where do you think you are?”

“The Beggars’ Sect.”

The obvious answer.

“Not much can escape our beggars’ watchful eyes.”

Of course, there were exceptions. Bi Ryu-yeon nodded in satisfaction.

“Bring me all the information you have on carriage movements after midnight, especially after sunset today! As fast as you can!”

It was a race against time. They were running out of time. They had to return to Heavenly Martial Peak before sunrise. They would be in trouble if they missed the morning roll call.

The beggars, who had made their home in the shadow of Mount Hua, had never experienced such a hectic half hour in their lives.

A young beggar quickly brought a report on carriage movements.

It wasn’t a written report, of course.

Yoon Jun-ho peeked over the young beggar’s shoulder, but all he saw were strange symbols. It wasn’t because the report was classified.

In the Beggars’ Sect, being literate meant being able to distinguish between black and white on paper. In other words, being able to read. There was a higher level, called “Confucius Reincarnated,” who could not only read, but also write.

Literate people were a rare resource in the smaller branches of the Beggars’ Sect. Literacy was a special ability, reserved for the chosen few.

The Mount Hua Branch had made some effort to reduce illiteracy through rigorous education, but it was still a problem.

That’s why most information was recorded using symbols. It made it accessible to more people. Of course, sensitive information was recorded and classified using special methods.

To become a branch leader, one had to pass a literacy test. And it was the most dreaded test for most beggars, a final hurdle. Information couldn’t be gathered without literacy, so branch leaders, who were responsible for local intelligence, had to be literate.

There were exceptions, of course. Sometimes, exceptionally strong beggars, those with brute strength, rose through the ranks. They were usually assigned to manual labor.

Wu Gai was an intellectual beggar, having passed the dreaded literacy test.

“Today’s carriage movement records show 45 high-grade carriages, 63 mid-grade carriages, 123 low-grade carriages, 89 heavy carts, 130 medium carts, and 204 light carts. A total of 231 carriages and 423 carts.”

They were all surprised by Wu Gai’s report. The Beggars’ Sect’s intelligence network was truly impressive.

Wu Gai puffed up his chest with pride.

“Do you have information on movements before dawn?”

“Of course. We monitor carriage movements twenty-four hours a day. It’s actually easier to monitor movements at night because they’re so rare.”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded in satisfaction.

“Good. So how many carriages left the Wind, Plum, and Guest Inn between midnight and 7 PM today?”

He asked.

“The Wind, Plum, and Guest Inn?”

“You know it, right?”

“Of course.”

It was one of their top ten begging spots. They couldn’t not know it.

“So were there any carriages or carts that left the Wind, Plum, and Guest Inn between midnight and sunrise today?”

He mentioned midnight because that was around the time Han Ro and Eun Seol-ran had infiltrated the inn.

“Hmm… No!”

Wu Gai answered, scanning the report.

“That’s a relief! They probably avoided moving at night to avoid attention. What about movements after sunrise?”

They couldn’t rule out the possibility that they had moved at dawn.

“Yes! There were 25 carriages that left the Wind, Plum, and Guest Inn after sunrise. There were no cart movements because the entire inn was rented by the Central Plains Escort Agency.”

“Can you tell if any of those carriages left the town?”

“Of course. We always keep an eye on carriages leaving the town. Hmm, let me see…”

Wu Gai flipped through the report again. They would be in trouble if any of the carriages had left the town. They didn’t want to imagine Eun Seol-ran being transported out of their reach. They all watched him with bated breath.

“Hmm… No!”

Sighs of relief filled the air.

“It seems they didn’t have enough time to move her out of town.”

That narrowed down their search area. It was a significant breakthrough.

But 25 carriages were still too many.

“What if we exclude carriages heading to brothels and taverns?”

Wu Gai quickly scanned the report and answered,

“Uh… 15.”

They had narrowed down the list from over 600 carriages and carts to just 15. But it was still a daunting number.

“Are there any private carriages among them?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked.

“Private carriages…?”

“Yes! They wouldn’t use a regular carriage rented from the Carriage Association for a kidnapping. It would leave too many traces.”

Noh Hak exclaimed.

“Hmm, there are eight private carriages. Three of them headed to the same location, so that leaves us with six locations.”

“Three to the same location?”

Bi Ryu-yeon’s eyes lit up.

“Do you have information on where each carriage went?”

“Yes, of course.”

Wu Gai looked at the report again. The destinations were all marked with numbers.

Number 1 was the branch, number 2 was the Mount Hua Sect, number 3 was the government office, and so on. It seemed like there was a designated recorder. The report used a combination of symbols and numbers. It was designed to be readable even by those who weren’t familiar with the code.

“Where did those three carriages go?”

“Hmm… Huh?”

Wu Gai’s eyes widened.

“What’s so special about it?”

Yeomdo asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just an unexpected result.”

“Where is it?”

“Uh… Three number 2s. All three headed to the Mount Hua Sect.”

Disappointment filled their faces. No kidnapper, no matter how crazy, would leave their hostage with the Mount Hua Sect.

“They probably stopped by to pay their respects to the Mount Hua Sect, since they’re here on business.”

It was customary. Noh Hak explained, and Wu Gai added,

“All three used private carriages provided by the Wind, Plum, and Guest Inn.”

That made it even less likely. Noh Hak looked at Bi Ryu-yeon. His eyes were asking, “What now?”

Six locations were too many for them to search. Even one location would be a challenge.

‘Should we split up?’

Mo Yong-hwi thought anxiously.

But Bi Ryu-yeon still had questions. And he was smiling.

“Yerin, do you know the saying ‘a guilty conscience needs no accuser’?”

“Yes!”

Na Yerin nodded. And then she understood.

“Ah!”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded. He turned to Wu Gai.

“If any of those six locations suddenly increased their security today, you’d know, right?”

“O-Of course. But I’ll have to check other reports and gather more people.”

Bi Ryu-yeon smiled and nodded.

“I need it now. It would be best if you could do it within half an hour.”

“Or you might never eat again.”

Yeomdo added menacingly.

“Yes, sir!” Wu Gai shouted and rushed out. There was a lot of commotion outside for a while.

He returned exactly half an hour later.

“Excellent time management. You’ll live a long life!”

Yeomdo said with a grin. Wu Gai wasn’t amused.

“Did you check?” Bi Ryu-yeon asked.

“Y-Yes, sir! I did!”

“And you got the results?”

“Y-Yes, sir! I did!”

Wu Gai stood at attention, intimidated by Yeomdo’s aura.

“There was one place.”

Their gazes focused on him.

“What’s the name of the place?”

“I-It’s the Peace Manor.”

“Peace Manor?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked, his voice rising slightly.

“Yes! It’s an old manor on the outskirts of town…”

Wu Gai hesitated before continuing,

“The private carriage that went there seems to belong to the Peace Manor. It hasn’t left since it entered.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s an ordinary manor with a long history in this town…”

Bi Ryu-yeon interrupted him.

“We’ll see how ordinary it is when we get there!”