Chapter v14c10

He was a short, stocky man with an unusually large and long nose for his small face. His nostrils seemed three times the size of a normal person’s. As a result, he was known more by his nickname than his real name.

“Well, Dog Nose? Did you find anything interesting?”

An Myung-hu asked impatiently, watching Wang Kyeon, nicknamed Dog Nose, crawl around the stone chamber, sniffing the air.

Sniff! Sniff! Sniff!

Dog Nose ignored his superior’s question, as if to demonstrate that his heightened sense of smell came at the expense of his hearing. But An Myung-hu didn’t press him. He knew that Dog Nose was focused on a scent.

An Myung-hu trusted Dog Nose more than anyone else in the Shaanxi Branch of the Justice League. And because he trusted him, he could utilize his unique skills effectively. Dog Nose, in turn, appreciated his superior’s recognition of his abilities. So wherever An Myung-hu went, Dog Nose followed.

Even if there wasn’t a single speck of dust left, there might be something they had overlooked: the scent. Dog Nose possessed an extraordinary sense of smell, able to detect odors that were imperceptible to ordinary humans. Even in a place that seemed completely devoid of scent, he could find traces, faint remnants of what had been.

“Hmm…”

“Well? Don’t keep me in suspense! Tell me what you found!”

An Myung-hu urged him again.

“Inspector An, don’t you think Manager Go of the Exquisite Fragrance Brothel is getting a bit too greedy these days? He keeps trying to squeeze every penny out of me.”

It was a non sequitur, but An Myung-hu understood what he meant. He was behind on his payments.

‘That sly fox…’

Under normal circumstances, he could reprimand him for insubordination. But he just chuckled. They had worked together for a long time, and he could tolerate this kind of petty scheming. It was a conversation that only they could have, a testament to their bond.

“I told you to stop visiting Mae-hyang so often! Are you trying to bankrupt yourself?”

“Hehehe… I’m sorry!”

Dog Nose scratched his head sheepishly. It seemed that his financial woes were caused by a certain Mae-hyang, a common nickname for courtesans in brothels.

“I’ll put in a good word for you so you can get a bonus. Now tell me what you found!”

“I’m counting on you, Inspector! Hehehe!”

“Come on, spit it out! Do you want to see me die of anticipation?”

Wang Kyeon finally revealed what he had discovered. His eyes, usually twinkling with amusement, were now sharp and focused.

“There’s a peculiar scent.”

An Myung-hu’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh? That’s interesting. What kind of scent?”

If it wasn’t unusual, he would have described it immediately. The fact that he was hesitating meant that it was something significant.

“The cleanup was thorough, so I can’t be sure, but it smells strongly of… ‘that.'”

“That?”

Dog Nose leaned in and whispered something in his ear. An Myung-hu’s face fell.

“What? That’s a common scent!”

He was disappointed. It didn’t seem like a promising lead.

But Dog Nose was serious. He looked offended, his professional pride wounded.

“But this is no ordinary stuff!”

“No ordinary stuff?”

The disappointment vanished from An Myung-hu’s face.

“It’s so pure that I don’t think it’s something ordinary people use.”

“Hmm…”

High purity meant that it was a rare and valuable commodity. But it wasn’t enough to go on.

“Is there anything else?”

“I’m not sure, but…”

“What is it? Don’t hesitate!”

“Actually…”

Dog Nose leaned in again and whispered something in his ear. It must have been something confidential, something that others shouldn’t hear. An Myung-hu’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I-Is that true?”

His expression changed. For someone with his level of self-control, to show such a reaction meant that he had heard something significant.

“I’m almost certain.”

“That’s not something even a wealthy family can easily acquire.”

“That’s what makes it so suspicious.”

“Why would they have something so dangerous here? And in such large quantities… Are they planning a war…?”

But that was the least likely scenario.

“I guess we’ll have to investigate those greedy money-grubbers…”

But he knew that the Central Plains Courier Service wouldn’t be an easy target.

**The First Young Master’s Aura**

While An Myung-hu, the Inspector of the Shaanxi Branch, was sitting in the ashes, shaking his head, a man was walking along a secluded path on Heavenly Martial Peak.

He was a handsome man, his face as sharp and cold as ice, his eyes piercing and emotionless, his shoulders broad, his steps confident and purposeful. He exuded an aura of power and authority. It was the First Young Master, Bi. He was walking alone along the same path that Bi Ryu-yeon and the Cheonmu Academy delegation had taken, the path that led to the three gates.

“Young man, what brings you to this desolate place?”

An old man with a noticeable limp, leaning on crutches, stopped him. It was Jong-koe, the guardian of the first gate, known as the “Unmoving Cloud.”

“I’m here to take the test,” the First Young Master replied, his voice flat and emotionless.

Jong-koe tilted his head, puzzled by his confident response. He felt like a restaurant owner being asked for a meal after closing time. But he didn’t turn him away.

“The test… Where are you from?”

“The Heavenly Demons Pavilion.”

Had he gotten lost? Or separated from his group? It was a reasonable assumption. But Jong-koe was a veteran of the martial world. He could see through facades.

The young man’s aura, his restrained but potent energy, was unmistakable. He was no ordinary martial artist, not someone who would get lost or left behind.

“You do realize that your fellow disciples from the Heavenly Demons Pavilion have already passed through the gates, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

He answered readily.

“And yet you came here alone?!”

Jong-koe asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

“I have something I want.”

“Something you want?”

“There’s only one reason to come here. What else could it be?”

“You mean…?”

The First Young Master nodded.

“I want to take the test.”

“You want to take the test?”

Jong-koe’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes.”

The First Young Master replied calmly. Jong-koe shook his head.

“Do you think that’s possible? Your fellow disciples from the Heavenly Demons Pavilion have already passed through. I can’t allow you to participate in the Mount Hua Conference if you weren’t with them.”

He couldn’t make an exception.

“You misunderstand. I said I wanted to take the test, not participate in the Mount Hua Conference.”

Jong-koe stared at him, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

He grumbled, complaining about how young people these days spoke in riddles.

“Not at all. I’m here to take the test legally.”

“What?!”

“I believe the deadline for entry is tomorrow. Any student recommended by the academy can take the test within the allotted time, correct? They don’t need to be accompanied by anyone. The group travel arrangement was a temporary measure due to the recent attacks. It wasn’t the original rule.”

Jong-koe stared at him, surprised.

“You seem to know a lot.”

As the guardian of the gate, he was familiar with the rules. And the young man was right.

“Do you understand the implications of what you’re saying? It means you’ll have to pass through all three gates alone. The same gates that fifty people struggled to pass through.”

It seemed that the Heavenly Demons Pavilion delegation had faced considerable challenges at the three gates. But the First Young Master wouldn’t be here if he didn’t know that.

“The gates have changed this year. They’re not as easy as they used to be. Did you know that?”

“I didn’t know that.”

He sounded unconcerned, despite his words.

“They’re called the Three Gates of Calamity. You have to face the shadows of the past, the remnants of the Heavenly Calamity Blood Demon who terrorized the world a hundred years ago.”

Jong-koe told him the story of the Three Gates of Calamity, the same story he told everyone else. The First Young Master listened patiently.

But his handsome face showed no fear or hesitation.

“I didn’t know such a place still existed.”

“And yet you’re willing to face it alone?”

“I have no choice.”

“Why? Why not wait for your fellow disciples?”

“Everyone has their reasons. It doesn’t matter what the gates are like. Nothing can stop me. And after hearing your story, I’m even more determined to challenge them.”

“You’re a bold young man. I’ll give you that.”

“Thank you.”

“Alright, as the examiner of the First Gate of Calamity, I grant you permission to challenge the gates.”

But Jong-koe didn’t believe that he could actually pass through the gates alone.

The young man’s demeanor was too calm, too controlled, too polite for someone his age. Jong-koe couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

“Young man, forgive an old man’s meddling, but may I offer you some advice?”

“Please do.”

“Young man, the blade in your heart is cold and sharp, repelling all who approach.”

“I don’t like people getting close to me.”

“Strange… Strange…”

Jong-koe frowned, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.

“What’s strange?”

“Your words are strange.”

“Have I said anything disrespectful?”

His tone was still polite, but his words were devoid of emotion. Jong-koe’s frown deepened. The old man, his eyes still sharp despite his age, looked up at the First Young Master.

“Your words… no matter how I think about it…”

He hesitated for a moment, then spoke his mind.

“…They’re too polite!”

“Are you saying that my politeness offends you?”

The old man shook his head.

“Of course not! I’m not that grumpy, even at my age. But it’s unsettling, like a fishbone stuck in my throat. An inexplicable feeling of unease…”

But he had lived a long life for a reason. His intuition, honed by years of experience, was rarely wrong.

“Is that strange? I don’t see how politeness can be a cause for suspicion, unless it’s insincere.”

The First Young Master replied calmly, his voice still devoid of emotion. Jong-koe’s expression turned serious.

“That’s the point! Your politeness… it reeks of authority. Who are you?”