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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Our journey to Xiping was uneventful.
We had simply followed the main road without encountering any obstacles.
If we had taken the faster but more dangerous mountain paths, we might have encountered some Green Forest bandits, but the main roads were regularly patrolled by the Imperial Army and frequented by heavily guarded caravans, making them unsuitable for banditry.
“It’s…peaceful.”
“Indeed.”
“Isn’t peace a good thing?”
“It also means it’s easier for things to remain hidden.”
According to the information provided by the Hao Clan, one of the estates in Xiping was suspected of being a secret Demonic Cult branch.
They were posing as ordinary merchants, but there were many suspicious aspects to their operation.
The flow of their funds was unclear…
“Hye-ryeong, where would the Beggar Sect’s branch be located?”
“Um…somewhere inconspicuous? Slums are usually on the outskirts of the city.”
“Hye-ryeong is correct. Beggars tend to congregate in less visible areas.”
Of course. Beggars wouldn’t be in the city center.
We headed towards the slums on the outskirts of Xiping.
“Ugh, the smell.”
“Mister, I feel dizzy…”
“…A pungent odor.”
It was to be expected in a beggar’s den.
Dozens of beggars were staring at us. It was no wonder the smell was so overpowering.
I ignored the beggars, whose appearance was an assault on the eyes, and continued forward.
If we had been weaker, they might have harassed us, but none of them were bold enough to challenge us.
After some time,
We found the building with the Beggar Sect’s markings. We barged through the cloth that served as a door.
“Is this the Beggar Sect’s branch?”
“Well, well. We have some important guests.”
A middle-aged man with a disproportionately large head looked at us with an unpleasant smile. It wasn’t intentional, his face was just…unpleasant.
“Do you know me?”
“The Lion Sword. Only a Demonic Cult member wouldn’t know your name.”
Was I that famous?
“It’s good that you recognize me. We’ve received information that there’s a Demonic Cult branch in this city.”
“Hmm. There is a suspicious individual. Where did you obtain this information?”
“I can’t reveal my source.”
“The Hao Clan, I presume.”
It seemed the Beggar Sect was difficult to deceive.
I nodded.
The branch leader seemed to have only asked out of curiosity, as he didn’t press the matter and immediately moved on.
“There’s a merchant in this city named Yang Mun-pyeong. He arrived about twenty years ago. He runs a moneylending business and a mining operation, but…a significant amount of high-quality ore and money seems to be disappearing.”
“Perhaps he’s trading it?”
“He claims he’s sending it to his family back home.”
“We’ve investigated with the help of other branches, but the trail goes cold near Qinghai. The beggars we sent to track him disappeared as well. It seems like he’s heading further west, but…why would he transport ore and money so far?”
“That is suspicious.”
“Indeed.”
“But there’s no way to know if he’s connected to the Demonic Cult. We have no concrete evidence.”
“Can’t the Beggar Sect’s information network uncover something?”
The branch leader chuckled.
“Even the Beggar Sect can’t investigate without a valid reason. We need concrete evidence to avoid repercussions. Especially since this branch was recently established.”
“Evidence…”
“Ironically, beggars stand out too much. An innkeeper can overhear conversations while serving food, but Yang Mun-pyeong rarely appears in public.”
So, beggars had limitations in their information gathering.
“I understand. So, you have no concrete evidence.”
“Correct.”
This was troublesome.
The information from the Hao Clan was also circumstantial.
Had I hit a dead end?
“Very well. We’ll investigate ourselves.”
“How do you intend to do that?”
“Do you remember when I captured those Demonic Cult members?”
“Ah, that incident.”
He was well-informed.
“And are you aware that Demonic Cult spies infiltrated the Hao Clan and staged a rebellion?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“I just eliminated them. They were called Blood Spear, Sura-do, and the Black and White Twin Demons.”
“The Black and White Twin Demons joined the Demonic Cult? That’s absurd.”
“You know them?”
“They were notorious Madu. It seems they joined the Demonic Cult after being ostracized by even the Demonic Sects.”
I see.
I could use the Hao Clan incident to determine whether Yang Mun-pyeong was a Demonic Cult member or an innocent merchant.
“Leave it to me. I’ll investigate and see what I can find.”
“You seem determined to eradicate the Demonic Cult.”
“How can I ignore such evil?”
He nodded.
“Very well. We’ll assist you as much as we can. This branch is new, so our resources are limited…”
Only a few months old?
No wonder they lacked information.
“I’ll handle the investigation. If it turns out to be a Demonic Cult branch, gather your beggars.”
“What are you planning?”
“There are only a few ways to handle this.”
Infiltration or investigation. I had to utilize the beggars’ unique abilities.
And…if I remembered correctly, there was a Hao Clan branch here as well.
“I’ll see you later.”
“I apologize for not being of more assistance.”
“You can help us later. Later.”
We left the Beggar Sect’s branch.
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“Mister, are we going to infiltrate now?”
“I’ll think about it.”
I needed to contact the Hao Clan first.
I waited for the food to arrive, absentmindedly playing with Hye-ryeong’s cheek as she leaned against me.
“Benefactor, we must be cautious. We could end up disgraced instead of finding a Demonic Cult branch.”
“I know. That’s why I’m seeking the Hao Clan’s assistance.”
As a decentralized organization, not all information reached the Hao Clan Leader.
Considering the long-term presence of the traitors, it was likely that valuable information had been withheld.
The information they had provided was suspiciously vague.
“I didn’t expect to use this token so soon.”
I discreetly placed the silver token on the table. That was the signal, according to the Hao Clan. The waiter would see it and summon a Hao Clan member.
After about an hour, a waiter approached us, carrying dishes.
He saw the token and froze, then looked at me and spoke cautiously.
“…Welcome, benefactor.”
“I’d like to speak with the branch leader after we finish our meal.”
“I’ll inform him.”
Good.
This was going smoothly. I looked away from the departing waiter and picked up my chopsticks.
“Time for a warm meal.”
“Mister! Ah~”
She was getting bolder by the day.
I opened my mouth and ate the piece of seasoned meat Hye-ryeong offered.
“Hehe, I’ve always wanted to do that! My mother used to do it for my father!”
…They must have been a loving couple.
“You should eat too.”
“Mmm.”
Hye-ryeong ate the meat like a baby bird being fed by its mother. I felt a sharp gaze and looked at Mokgyeong.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“N-no…it’s just…nothing.”
He looked disgusted by Hye-ryeong’s display of affection. It would be cruel to tell her to stop, so I looked away and enjoyed the moment.
After our meal, we waited for the waiter. He approached us as soon as we put down our chopsticks.
“Follow me.”
I wondered what kind of person the branch leader would be.
With a flicker of curiosity, we followed the waiter.
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[Your Text Here]
How long can Mokgyeong endure this? I suspect she is going to reveal her identity and start competing soon~