That's Not How You Use Martial Arts

Chapter 38
Infiltration (2)

『 Translator – Divinity 』

It was an unexpected question, one I hadn’t anticipated at all.

Resent Master and Hwa-ryeon? Why?

“Uh… I’m not sure why you would ask that.”

“…You’re reacting as if you haven’t even considered it. Now I’m the one who’s confused.”

Go-heung chuckled awkwardly and explained the reason for his question.

“First, let me apologize. I’ve already heard your story from the Merchant Leader.”

“How much of my story?”

“That Master Yeo only taught you the Three Talents Technique and basic martial arts knowledge, and that the Dark Heaven Squad almost killed your family.”

“Hmm… and?”

At my question, Go-heung coughed awkwardly and continued.

“You already know, don’t you? That Master Yeo was actually quite a renowned expert in the murim. He spared no expense in teaching young miss Hwa-ryeon and his disciple Yoo Seol-i his secret techniques and giving them elixirs, but all he taught you was a single third-rate martial art. I’m asking if you resent that.”

“Not at all. Why would I?”

My learning martial arts from Master was a transaction, a service rendered in exchange for payment.

I had understood and accepted from the beginning that I would only be learning third-rate martial arts at a rural school.

Therefore, Master had no reason or obligation to provide me with secret techniques or elixirs.

I didn’t understand why I should resent that.

“Of course, Master did use me as a front to divert attention, but honestly, how much did that really help?”

“That’s… true.”

Seeing Go-heung nod in agreement, I shrugged as if to say, “See?”

But Go-heung wasn’t finished with his questions.

“Then what about the Dark Heaven Squad attack? Even your few family’s servants were killed. About that…”

“As you said, that was the Dark Heaven Squad’s doing, or Paecheon Fortress’s, in the grand scheme of things. Not Master and Hwa-ryeon’s.”

It was the Dark Heaven Squad and Paecheon Fortress who almost killed my family.

It was those ruthless bastards who tried to kill me and my family just because I learned martial arts at the small school Master ran, not Master and Hwa-ryeon.

So why would I resent them for that?

“Isn’t there a saying for that? Taking your anger out on the wrong person?”

“……”

After hearing all my answers, Go-heung looked at me with a strange expression for a moment, then smiled faintly.

“That’s a bit unexpected. You’re a bit different from what I imagined. Much more calm and composed.”

I chuckled at the rather favorable assessment and asked,

“So, how about it? Did I pass?”

Go-heung’s smiling face froze at my meaningful question.

And he let out a deep sigh.

“…You’re sharp and perceptive. When did you realize?”

“From the beginning. I could tell just by looking at your expression.”

Go-heung’s expression.

It was the expression of someone trying to reassure someone else with a lie.

The expression worn by countless people who stood before me in my past life.

It was very similar to the expressions of those who tried to hide the fact that I didn’t have long to live and give me false hope.

Of course, Go-heung wasn’t trying to give me hope, but to figure me out.

“If I showed any signs of betraying Hwa-ryeon, you would eliminate me by any means necessary… is that it?”

“…Young Master, may I ask, are you from this world? How can you see through me so easily…?”

Well, Mister, if you read a lot of martial arts novels, you could do it too. There are many people like you in those novels. Although they’re mostly minor characters who only appear for a short time.

I chuckled inwardly, thinking things I couldn’t say out loud, and Go-heung sighed again.

“Damn, I was considered one of the best spies in the Skynet Division, and now I’m being completely read by a twenty-year-old brat. I’ve lost my touch.”

“Weren’t you praising me as a top master earlier?”

“This is different from martial arts.”

Go-heung grumbled, then cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice.

“You might not believe this, Young Master, but I’m not actually trying to kill you or anything. You’re a valuable asset to young miss Hwa-ryeon.”

“Then?”

“I was trying to appease your resentment with various compensations. Like… elixirs.”

“Actually, I deeply resent Hwa-ryeon and Master.”

“Too late, kiddo.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue playfully and then noticed the merchants cleaning up the shop.

There weren’t many items left on the shelves, yet their expressions were all gloomy.

Many of them were sighing deeply.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched them, and then Go-heung’s voice reached my ears.

“You’re wondering why they look so down, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Is this perhaps…?”

I asked, as something came to mind, and Go-heung nodded.

“That’s right. It’s not that they sold a lot of goods, but that they don’t have any goods to sell. It’s the aftermath of the Namgung family’s escort failures. If the escort missions aren’t successful, it’s no different from a blockage in distribution.”

“So they don’t have any goods to sell, even if they want to.”

Go-heung, who had been observing the merchants with me, made a regretful face.

“This eastern district is where merchants belonging to guilds and trading companies gather. That’s why it’s even worse here. They receive their goods through large-scale escort missions.”

“So, the Namgung family’s escort agency had a monopoly here?”

“Pretty much. They handled almost all the large-scale escort missions. That’s why the impact is greater here.”

As we were talking, something suddenly came to mind.

“Paecheon Fortress must have known this would happen, right?”

“…Well, probably? It’s unbelievable that Paecheon Fortress, where I once belonged, would become like this. Their original motto of protecting the people from the murim has become meaningless.”

Go-heung shook his head with a bitter expression.

“Honestly, when I first heard that they were going to destroy Paecheon Fortress, I wasn’t sure what to think, but seeing this, I think the young miss is right.”

As soon as Go-heung finished his short lament, the area ahead suddenly brightened.

Realizing that we had arrived near the gambling house, I turned my head to look ahead and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“…Wow.”

They said it was brightly lit even at night, and indeed, the countless lanterns hanging everywhere illuminated the surroundings as if it were daytime.

The carriage slowly entered the sea of lights.

And as if we had crossed into a completely different world, the atmosphere changed.

—Hohoho~!

—Hahahaha-!

Laughter echoed from everywhere, and the deeper we went, the stronger the primary red lights became.

It truly felt like a pleasure district.

Since there was no place like this in Gun-gang County, I looked around curiously.

Seeing me like that, Go-heung chided me playfully.

“Can you tone down the country bumpkin act a little? People will think you just came up from the countryside.”

“Well, you’re not wrong. I did just come up from the countryside.”

As I retorted and continued to look around, I sensed a large crowd gathered somewhere.

—Waaaaah–!

A cheer erupted, and a large, multi-story building came into view.

As I looked at the building, Go-heung explained,

“You recognize it right away? That’s the gambling house run by that bastard Jo Un-chil. It’s busier than usual today.”

His words weren’t an exaggeration; the number of people I sensed inside the building was immense.

Hundreds, maybe even over a thousand.

“How are you planning to infiltrate it? Want some help?”

“No, it’s alright.”

I raised my head and looked up at the top floor of the building.

As a rule, important things were usually kept on the highest floor of such buildings.

Whether it was people or objects.

***

The brighter the light, the darker the shadow it cast.

What that meant was that thanks to the lights illuminating the street, a shadow had fallen behind the gambling house, and I had easily climbed to the top floor using that shadow.

Go-heung, who had been dumbfounded when I first said I would jump onto the roof and infiltrate the building, was now staring up at me from below with his mouth agape.

Chuckling inwardly at the sight, I slowly approached the window.

Fortunately, it seemed like no one was inside.

Relieved, I climbed through the window and entered.

And as soon as I did, I was speechless at the sight of the luxurious interior.

“Huh, how much did all this cost?”

The room was filled with all kinds of extravagant items.

It was obvious at a glance that this was the owner’s room, Jo Un-chil’s.

I curiously examined the lavishly decorated items.

Porcelain coated in gold, ornaments studded with all kinds of dazzling jewels.

And incredibly, there was even a golden Buddha statue that seemed to weigh around thirty gold taels, sitting on the table.

“Why did this guy come all the way to the armory to demand this when it’s right here in his room?”

I chuckled, then came to my senses.

This wasn’t the time to be sightseeing.

I had to find whatever that bastard Jo Un-chil was hiding.

In other words, something like a secret safe.

I started searching Jo Un-chil’s room thoroughly.

I lifted the carpet on the floor and carefully examined the table in the center of the room.

But the result of my search… wasn’t very promising.

“There’s nothing here?”

Shouldn’t there be at least a hidden ledger or something?

To think there was nothing even after searching this much… wasn’t it in this room?

I couldn’t help but feel bewildered by this unexpected situation.

This was the only room on the top floor.

If it wasn’t here… I might have to search the entire building.

“Just the thought of it is dreadful… Hmm?”

I shuddered and fiddled with the golden Buddha statue on the table, when suddenly, a strange sensation caught my attention. I looked down at the statue.