episode_0076

The time has come to go to Yangwiseong. There was a request from the Blue House to come, but it was because a new railroad had to be brought in.

Of course, I could have asked someone to go instead of going myself, but after meeting Cheon Il-hwa, I wanted to bring Ki Noya or Wiyeol with me just in case.

Anyway, there’s something I did this time… Wouldn’t it be nice to send at least one person, if not two like last time?

If I did well, it seemed like Kinoya would come. I heard that Chaejin met Kinoya the other day and told him the story of Yohwan.

If Kinoya liked drinking and eating, he would pretend he couldn’t win when invited.

“So. When are you going to go?”

As I said before, I decided to go to both Chaejin and Hongryeon this time. So, I said this to Chaejin while we were eating together, and she nodded indifferently.

“I plan to leave tomorrow. Yesterday, I sent someone to Hongseongmun and asked, and Hongryeon said it would be okay for a few days starting tomorrow.”

“I see. really. They must be busy there too. People are strangely sincere. Right?”

“It’s not that I’m strangely sincere, it’s just natural. Because you do what you have to do.”

“Hmm. Then I guess I have to do what I have to do. I have to practice right after lunch, right? Today, I plan to practice Geumnasu more properly, so you can look forward to it.”

“That’s right. Please be gentle.”

“You’re being very gentle?!”

When Chaejin smiled brightly and shouted, Yohwan came out from inside. What was in her hand was a plate.

“What?”

“I made it simple. Please taste it.”

What Yohwan presented was one of the medicinal dishes. It is a dish called Bulhokjam that slightly increases stamina when taken. Chaejin didn’t seem to like it because it was an impossible dish that only used vegetables such as bamboo shoots and lotus roots, but it was still one of the more efficient dishes in Cheonsangmyeongwol.

“I had a rough sleep.”

“Oh. I just know. that’s right. This is really good food for your health…”

I tried to sleep right away. The texture of bamboo shoots and lotus roots is quite good. After eating it all, Chaejin asked expectantly.

“How do you feel?”

“Yohwan’s skills are trustworthy.”

“Heung. It is a dish that complements energy and blood and increases physical strength. Make sure to eat it often when you can. And… you said you were going to Yangwi Castle, right? Then, I would like you to get me some ingredients.”

“Are these ingredients that you can’t find here?”

“Ah. Because these are ingredients that grow naturally there. Because we need Palhongcho and Rain Pavilion. Try to get some in plenty. I think they’ll probably sell it at Cheonghoe Shopping Mall. It’s an ingredient that’s often used in medicinal dishes, so buy a lot of it.”

So, would it be better to have the goods delivered to the trading company on a regular basis?

When I go to Cheonghoe Sangdan this time, I will have to increase the number of items that need to be added to the items provided by Cheon Ilhwa.

“Please let me know if there are any other items you need on a regular basis. Receive regular delivery.”

“Oh. Besides being near both satellites? Then, let me write it down and give it to you.”

If Yohwan could transport the ingredients more easily, he would be able to make medicinal dishes more easily.

Now that we’ve come to this, shall we take charge of supplying materials to Changju?

I thought as I sipped my tea, and Chaejin tilted her head and stood up.

“Now. I’m going to be full, so let’s take it easy.”

“Let’s do that.”

After training with Chaejin, I met Changju. It seems that she also had materials that she wanted to receive on a regular basis. I heard that the prefectural government wanted to entrust the supply of materials to me, so I visited the prefectural government and signed a contract for the supply of new iron and materials.

“Is it because the island village is becoming more prosperous? Work is increasing.”

“Hmm. I guess so.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to set up a proper top?”

“No thoughts yet.”

“Why?”

“If I have to form an upper level, I would rather bring the Cheonghoe upper level here.”

If Cheonghoe Sangdan was a general upper class or a martial arts sect, I would have felt a little uncomfortable. But their true identity is the imperial army. In other words, even if they are friendly, they are by no means trying to increase their influence in the island village.

Rather, I hoped that holding hands and working together would help me complete my purpose and our scenario.

My judgment was that there was a lot of work to do, but there was no need to run it all the way to the top yet.

If you’re going to run it, it would be better to at least report on next year’s situation.

“Well. Because their identity is a coffin…”

“That’s right.”

Chaejin seems to have agreed with my explanation. She nodded slightly, stretched out her long legs and walked away.

“Then you must go to Yangwiseong often?”

“It will probably be like that for a while. Sojeo Chae must be having a hard time.”

“Hehe. That’s what I hoped for.”

The next morning.

As I was preparing the cart, I felt a hand poking my shoulder. When I turn my head towards that direction, something touches my cheek.

It was a long finger.

“Good morning.”

A red-haired beauty with a bright smile. It was Hongryeon wearing Hongseongmun’s uniform. I nodded as she shook the small bundle in her hand.

“Welcome. Thank you for being with me despite your busy schedule.”

“No. This is also Hong Seong-moon’s work, right? But… there’s no one there? Aren’t you going?”

“If you don’t go, who won’t go.”

Hongryeon slowly turned her head at the voice that came from inside. Chae-jin, who came out under her gaze, placed the luggage on the cart.

“I thought you wouldn’t be able to come because I heard you were busy.”

“Hehehe. You should come. Is it our job?”

“Us?”

“Yes. we. Because it’s Hong Seong-moon and the guest’s business. Of course, shouldn’t the CEO make a move? Also, Master seems to be feeling a little better these days, so I should go further.”

The Sword Saint’s mood has eased? I looked at Hongryeon and she shrugged her shoulders.

“He went on an outing a few days ago and seemed to be feeling much better. It seems like you don’t have nightmares often.”

That’s a good thing. In any case, if our current best power were to be shaken, there would be a lot of anxiety.

Still, I can’t be complacent, so I shouldn’t stop looking for ways to help her.

“I have a lot of work to do when I go to the council this time. I wish I could rest, but that would be a bit difficult. Of course, I will pay the travel expenses. Is everyone okay?”

“Of course.”

Hongryeon and Chaejin, who were staring at each other, answer at the same time.

That’s it then.

I immediately climbed into the driver’s seat of the cart and took the reins.

“Then we will leave.”

The road from Seomhwachon to Yangwiseong was not that complicated, but it could not be considered completely safe.

Even in the bright moon of heaven, there were often cases of encountering monsters or thieves while moving, so there was nothing particularly strange about it.

“Phew.”

Chaejin let out a low breath and lightly swung the sword. The black blood on the road stains the ground, and groups of sirangs wandering along the road can be seen falling down.

After quickly defeating the five sirens, she leisurely walked over and got on the back of the cart and said.

“I didn’t know that I would encounter monsters as soon as I left the territory of Island Fire Village. It wasn’t like this last time.”

Well, the last time I went with Chaejin, we didn’t encounter any monsters. I nodded and raised the dagger. Then, teeth and claws were collected from Sirang’s body.

One of the materials Changju requested was Sirang’s teeth and claws. If you process these, you can use them as materials for amulets, so you can reduce unnecessary spending.

“Thanks to you, I am glad that I was able to obtain the good ingredients that Changju requested.”

“You didn’t meet the monster last time, right? Hehehe. Am I lucky this time?”

Hongryeon followed me and helped me, adding a word. It’s definitely good to be lucky.

Because I didn’t know Sirang would come out here.

After we finished collecting and threw the bodies across the street, we got back on the cart.

“It seems like the number of monsters has increased recently. There is a story like that in a book from the Murim League.”

The reason why monsters are increasing is simple.

This was because the Iron Blood Order began to operate in earnest, causing confusion in various places.

Of course, other than during Hong Seong-moon’s time, they have not taken full action yet, but even so, their efforts to create chaos by lurking beneath the surface could never be ignored.

“It looks like the Murim Alliance is doing some research on the Iron Blood Order…”

“What do you say?”

Chaejin asked, wondering if he didn’t know that, and Hongryeon nodded heavily and told him about the contents of the letter from the Murim Alliance that had arrived not long ago.

“There are places other than Hongseong Mountain where spiritual energy gathers, right? They said there were some attacks there. Of course, I defeated most of them, but there were some places…”

“Tsk. What on earth are these guys doing? If you have the strength to do that, you should enlist.”

“Haha. I think General Cheon will like it when he hears it. so? Where did you get hit?”

“It is Toilgwan, a shrine dedicated to the land god of Toyang County, and the rock hermitage of Cheongse County. They say it was destroyed because there was no one to really protect it…”

“I see.”

“So, the Murim Alliance said they were sending a warrior to guard the place where spirit energy gathers.”

“Are you not going?”

Hongryeon grinned at Chaejin’s question.

“One of the places where spiritual energy gathers a lot is Hongseong Mountain, so where should I go? The Murim Alliance also told me to stay here for a while. But what about you? Isn’t Cheonghodo one of the places where spiritual energy gathers?”

“Because Moonwoljeong is there. What would happen without me? And you have to protect the guest, right?”

“Oh my. You can leave that to me.”

“A~. You must be busy too, so how can I leave it to you? Leave it to me as the host and you protect Mt. Hongseong well. Great disciple of Hong Seongmun.”

I shook the reins while listening to Hongryeon and Chaejin talking. The fact that they are attacking and destroying places where spirit energy gathers means that the Iron Blood Order has not yet given up on Hongseong Mountain and other places.

Tsk. If they were stuck in one place, they would gather the strong and attack them by any means necessary.

The Iron Bloods are people who move around without a fixed location, so that’s not possible…

“In the end, is it whack-a-mole?”

“Well, that can’t be helped.”

I shrugged my shoulders at Hongryeon’s dry voice.

If you want to catch moles… you have no choice but to catch them hard.

When we drove the cart and arrived at Yangwiseong Fortress, the sun was just setting. When I passed the Yangwiseong Fortress illuminated by the red sunset, went inside, took the familiar path, and arrived at Cheonghoeru, I found a man standing in front of Cheonghoeru.

“Oh~! How have you been?”

It was Hano.

He approached with a grin holding a bottle of liquor and tilted his head when he saw the two women sitting on the cart.

“Weolgwangdo Chaejin, the great disciple of Moon Woljeong, and Nakilgeom Hongryeon, the great disciple of Hong Seongmun. Why did you come all the way here with two masters? Are you really trying to take over Yang Wi-seong?”

“What nonsense?”

“Hehe. Just kidding. It worked out just fine. I was thinking of sending a letter soon.”

“Do you have something to talk about?”

He nodded.

“The new Black Lotus will move soon. And…”

“……”

“Where they are aiming. There is Seomhwachon on one of the four black lotus paths. Better be prepared just in case.”

I nodded at Hano’s unusually serious remarks.

The end of Chapter 1 is approaching.

“I’d like to hear your story in detail.”

“Then let’s meet at the place we always see each other.”