Chapter 52
Rage (2)
Gui Huazun groped at his chest.
“Damn it. If I had known, I would have at least prepared the Eight Extreme Poisons in advance…”
He felt a tiny vial.
It was a sample he had received from the Seventh Elder a month ago, and it was all the income he had earned from the Tang family.
“Damn. After all the investment I made, I have to be satisfied with just this tiny vial?”
He was filled with regret.
Why hadn’t he anticipated this situation?
“Ha! It was a mistake to trust so much in his grudge against the direct line of the Tang family.”
Poisoned wine, the most lethal of poisons.
Even if you combined all the Eight Extreme Poisons, it would be impossible to face this. He had been eagerly waiting for the day he could receive it in bulk, and now he had to be content with a tiny vial that would last only for a few uses?!
“Tch. What a laughable sight. That red-clothed bastard will be rolling on the floor laughing.”
The bitterness lingered in his mouth.
He remembered the time when he had sent letters to mockingly console the Red-Clothed Sect after they failed repeatedly with the Shi He Lian and Zhen Sang missions.
“I advised him to stop messing with alcohol spells that would be broken by some upstart from nowhere and instead try using a few of my rare poisons…”
The owner of that rare poison suddenly died.
He died pointlessly without leaving a word, and without anyone knowing the reason.
“Damn it. It took only a fleeting moment.”
His subordinates had been waiting anxiously at the Tang family’s place to understand what had happened.
One day, two days, three days…
A whole week had passed.
“Red-Clothed Sect!”
When his subordinates finally returned, the mention of one name made Gui Huazun’s eyes widen.
“Kang Yongwoon… that upstart…”
Kang Yongwoon.
The name that had humiliated the Red-Clothed Sect, his competitor in the underworld and beyond, was now heard by him as well.
A distant, sinking feeling.
“Find him immediately.”
A fiery rage surged through him.
He would not calm down until Kang Yongwoon was torn apart.
“If manpower is insufficient, pause operations in Shaanxi to reinforce personnel if necessary. Understand?”
This was the top-priority order.
“Yes, sir.”
“Understood, Gui Huazun!”
With their prompt response, the subordinates disappeared.
Left alone, Gui Huazun gritted his teeth.
“How dare he make a fool of me?! I will devour you alive.”
The murderous aura was so sharp it chilled the cave as if it were midwinter.
Yet, Kang Yongwoon did not show himself anywhere.
The Jinling, Yinling, Bailin, and Huiling clans were truly at a loss.
Unlike the Red-Clothed Sect’s men who had attacked Kang Yongwoon, they only knew his name—they had no idea what he looked like.
Time passed.
One week, two weeks, three weeks…
Shaanxi Province
At the starting point of Guanzhong, at the southern edge of the Zhenling Mountains, Kang Yongwoon appeared.
Thanks to three weeks of self-maintenance (?), his steps were very light.
‘Efficiency has increased by at least 10% to 30%?!’
A hundred-year-old ginseng?
Or legendary Qingseok Oil?!
He honestly didn’t envy those miraculous medicines.
Thanks to Elder Irae, his body’s constitution had been completely transformed.
‘Not exact, but even at a minimum, I’ve increased efficiency by more than 10%. How could I compare this to any miracle elixir?!’
It was truly astonishing.
As Elder Irae instructed, consuming the herbs one by one while practicing Jikgeukgong had opened all his meridians. They had expanded greatly.
Not only that, his sensitivity and responsiveness to the energy of nature had improved dramatically.
Where previously he could absorb only ten units of natural energy per breath, now he could take in twelve to thirteen.
It might seem trivial now, but over time, his Jikgeukgong would grow explosively, reaching even his pupils.
‘Even without the so-called “mind technique enlightenment,” I’ve gained this ability?!’
He would be grateful forever.
“Elder Irae! Don’t you have any descendants to take care of? I will find someone, somehow…”
He had asked this out of gratitude, but
[Ha! That wretched fool won’t even get an ancestral meal and yet dares to speak. No! None, you hear me? You’ve sinned through so many wars!]
He felt embarrassed by the scolding.
‘Ah, I’m sorry.’
He immediately changed the subject.
‘Let’s ask this instead.’
Kang Yongwoon reached into his pocket.
Even that small movement let out the strong aroma of the herbs, piquing his curiosity.
“Elder, why did you tell me to just dig up this polygonum and carry it with me?!”
Elder Irae’s voice became sharper.
[Let me make it clear, boy. What I had you dig up was just the greens for you to consume.]
It was true.
After digging the herbs as instructed, a fragrant aroma was noticeable.
Instinctively, Kang Yongwoon felt it was a good herb and, driven by desire, dug it up himself.
[What’s done is done. The life of the herb was all it had. Would you throw it away? That’s why I told you to keep it. Understand?]
“Ah, hahaha… well…”
He had no reply.
It was embarrassing to admit that he had dug up the polygonum out of momentary greed, even though it wasn’t for his use.
[Who knows? Each old herb has a destined owner. Perhaps its true owner will appear.]
Kang Yongwoon nodded quickly.
“I hope so, Elder. Really.”
Who needed it was unknown, but if the owner appeared, he wanted to give it immediately.
‘This polygonum proves that my inner greed is not insignificant.’
He wanted to make amends.
By giving it to someone who truly needed it to cure their illness.
Ankanghyeon was close.
Kang Yongwoon entered the city and walked along the main road to find a place to rest.
‘Which inn cooks well?’
He was about to use his keen sense of smell to select one when…
“Wahaha! Officer Wang! Where are you going?!”
A hearty laugh rang out.
‘What’s this?’
Kang Yongwoon’s gaze naturally shifted there.
There was something unusual about the laugh.
“Hehe. Are you patrolling the city, Officer Hyeon?”
“Oh, why bother with a patrol, Officer Wang.”
“Officer Wang, let’s go to Maeweolgak. If you drink a cup, I’ll inform our master to cover the medicine costs for your wife. Haha.”
They looked like rowdies.
Yet they were addressing an official of Hyeoncheong, seemingly of high rank.
‘What kind of situation is this?’
He couldn’t understand and kept watching.
How could mere rowdies treat a high-ranking official like that?!
‘Their internal energy is similar to that of a master of excellence.’
At least early peak level.
Why was he enduring such humiliation without retaliation?
“Bastards! Can’t you just leave?”
“Do you dare insult the city’s chief inspector, you thugs of the Gui-do Gang?!”
“Back off, you scum!”
The officials following him shouted.
Of course, they were only laughed at.
“Ah, here we go again.”
“Why do all you brothers always take the wrong line, even knowing better?!”
“Ah, if you don’t like it, forget it. We’ll drink among ourselves. Humph.”
The Gui-do Gang resisted.
Still, the chief inspector only clenched his teeth, powerless.
“Let’s go.”
As Officer Wang turned away, enduring the humiliation, a resonance stirred in Kang Yongwoon’s heart.
‘Huh? This…?’
It was the same as before.
When he had been requested by Dang Sobaek, and had stopped to turn toward the Tang family.
‘This must be the owner.’
Kang Yongwoon sensed it.
The reason the rowdies mentioned medicine costs was what stirred his heart.
‘Let’s go.’
He immediately followed.
Following Officer Wang and his men, they moved until reaching a secluded area.
Then,
“Chief Inspector!”
With no one around, he stepped forward.
“I have a question to ask.”
“Hmm? Who are you?”
“Stand still!”
Wang’s subordinates went for their swords, thinking him one of the Gui-do Gang.
“Enough. They’re not from the Gui-do Gang.”
Wang stopped them.
He gazed at Kang Yongwoon, his voice deep and heavy.
“You appear both as a scholar and a martial man. What do you want with me?”
A smile naturally appeared on Kang Yongwoon’s face.
‘Such clear eyes.’
Along with the heavy voice and composure, his upright character was evident.
“I happened to overhear some rowdies as I passed by, Chief Inspector.”
“Hmmph.”
Wang’s expression immediately turned uncomfortable.
He felt embarrassed.
Kang Yongwoon continued quickly.
“They were talking about medicine costs. I thought I could help, so I asked.”
“Your first impression was good, yet you try to insult me as well?”
Wang’s fury flared.
“I am Ankanghyeon’s inspector. I do not take money from outsiders!”
Perhaps due to the anger from the Gui-do Gang, Wang struggled to maintain composure.
‘Oops, this is my mistake.’
Kang Yongwoon immediately put his hand into his chest.
“Forget it. Consider it as if you didn’t hear…”
“I gathered it myself while crossing the mountains.”
Interrupting Wang, he took out the polygonum wrapped in moss.
“I’m not sure where or how the patient is unwell…”
“Th-This is polygonum?!”
“Yes, Chief Inspector. It’s polygonum.”
“The red-skinned kind, certainly the rare red polygonum, sir.”
“My word… it looks almost black. A precious treasure indeed.”
Wang’s subordinates were astonished.
‘Yes, this is the one.’
Kang Yongwoon’s mood lifted further.
“Yes, polygonum. I don’t know how many years it has aged, but I want to give it to you, sir.”
“To me?”
Wang’s voice trembled slightly.
It was an herb his bedridden wife had desperately needed for years.
‘It’s so expensive that I could never afford it before…’
It was as thick as a forearm.
A medicinal shop only had palm-sized pieces claimed to be fifty-year roots; this must be at least a hundred years old, an ultimate rare red polygonum.
‘But how…’
He couldn’t bring himself to speak.
No free gifts in this world, and he wondered what demands might follow.
However,
“The condition is simple. Live honestly, without colluding with rowdies like before. How about it?”
A grin.
Kang Yongwoon laughed.
Wang’s mouth dropped open.
“Is that… really all?”
In a trembling voice, he asked.
Kang Yongwoon nodded emphatically.
“Of course, sir.”
He stepped forward and handed the red polygonum to Wang.
“Here, take it. It is now yours, Chief Inspector. Hahaha.”
“Ho-How can you just give such a treasure…”
“How? Simply follow the condition I mentioned.”
That was it.
Without a chance to even ask his name, Kang Yongwoon turned and ran off immediately.
“Hahaha! Sir! Everything’s sorted!”
“It’s not a bribe, sir. Please take it.”
“The heavens must have seen your integrity, sir. Hahaha.”
The subordinates were even more delighted.
Laughing heartily around Wang,
“I didn’t even ask your name, not once…”
Wang watched Kang Yongwoon disappear into the distance, his eyes soft.
For a long time.
