WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Oblivious

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◈ Murim in my Hometown ◈

Chapter 33: Aftermath

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The Tianshan Snow Ginseng was completely different from every herb I had seen so far.

Even from a short distance away, without bringing it right up to my nose, its cool aura and fragrance clearly stimulated all five senses.

“What do you think?”

“Let me examine it closely.”

“Have a seat, then.”

Once we sat across the table from each other, Ban Hoyang set out the Snow Ginseng.

While Do Hoengil held it in his hand and examined it, I studied Ban Hoyang carefully.

“Where did you acquire such a precious spirit herb?”

“There are ways.”

“Did you perhaps come from Tianshan?”

I had never gotten involved with the Demonic Cult, but I knew well enough that getting tangled up with them would be a tremendous headache.

The Unorthodox Faction was full of cruel murderers and every variety of lunatic.

But the Demonic Cult of Tianshan was on another level.

They were infamous for things like cutting open children’s stomachs while they were alive to eat their livers, or drinking virgins’ blood to practice demonic arts. In short, they had a reputation for not being human.

I had even witnessed it with my own eyes.

Mok Saryong, the Explosive Heat Fist Demon and great demon of the Demonic Cult.

The sight of that peerless demon bursting people’s heads with fists and tearing hearts from their chests was still as vivid in my mind as hell itself.

Ban Hoyang was not a monster like Mok Saryong. He had no overwhelming presence, nor could I sense any refined qi from him.

His speech also lacked the rough, unfamiliar frontier accent.

Still, if he had come from Tianshan, this was not something I could take lightly.

As I stared at him tensely, Ban Hoyang twisted his lips into a grin.

“What? Are you afraid I might be some demon who eats people? This Snow Ginseng came from Tianshan, but I have never left the Central Plains in my life. Just because it is a treasure from Tianshan, does that mean only Demonic Cult members can possess it? Goods change hands.”

Do Hoengil finished his inspection and handed the Snow Ginseng back to Ban Hoyang.

“Is it genuine?”

“It is. Tianshan Snow Ginseng.”

Ban Hoyang tucked the wooden box into his robes and puffed out his chest.

“You know your goods. There are many varieties of Snow Ginseng in the world, but Tianshan’s is considered the finest. Not all Snow Ginseng is the same.”

As Ban Hoyang preened, Do Hoengil retorted.

“You know quite a bit. Tianshan Snow Ginseng has grades as well. Too many of its rootlets have been broken. Whoever dug it up must have been in a hurry. Thirty percent of a ginseng’s essence lies in its roots, so its efficacy has diminished greatly. Judging by its size and the growth rings on its crown, it is around forty years old. Snow Ginseng only shows its true worth after a hundred years. At best, this is a mid-grade item. It is worth around eighty taels of silver.”

Ban Hoyang bristled at the scathing appraisal.

“What did you say? Has this old man gone senile? How dare you treat a Tianshan treasure that would easily fetch three hundred taels of silver anywhere as low-grade!”

Do Hoengil closed his mouth as though his work was done, then gave me a meaningful look.

It was a signal that I could buy it.

How should I get this Snow Ginseng...?

I had intended to pay for it, but an unexpected new option had appeared.

Using Won Seogang.

I could bargain down the price, arrange to finish the transaction in a few days because I lacked the remaining money, and bring Won Seogang to the meeting.

If it went well, I would get the Tianshan Snow Ginseng for free, and Won Seogang would settle his grudge.

At first glance, it seemed plausible. It was incredibly tempting, but the more I thought about it, the more dangerous it seemed.

Had Ban Hoyang come alone?

He was hiding deep within the Black Night Gang to avoid Won Seogang, yet he had secretly ventured outside. He surely had guards.

His qi did not seem remarkable, but if he had managed to evade Won Seogang, his martial arts could not be weak.

Above all, not knowing Ban Hoyang’s true identity bothered me greatly.

It was certain that he was under the Black Night Gang’s protection, and perhaps the Demonic Cult truly was behind him.

Clashing with the Black Night Gang. Making an enemy of someone connected to the Demonic Cult.

Neither was a wise course of action.

How far could I trust Won Seogang?

I knew almost nothing about him.

He was a highly skilled master, his character did not seem bad, and he bore a deep grudge against Ban Hoyang. That was all.

I had no idea where he came from or what sort of person he was.

Rather than get caught in the middle of their grudge just to save some money, it would be better to pay cleanly.

Won Seogang was an outsider. If things went wrong, he could simply leave. But I still had to live in my hometown of Seochon.

I could always earn more money by taking work from the Hao clan.

“I’ll give you one hundred taels of silver.”

“Forget it! There will be no deal!”

Ban Hoyang slammed his fist onto the table and sprang to his feet in fury. He turned and headed for the door.

“I’ll pay the full amount immediately, here and now, with bank drafts issued by the Golden Bank.”

Ban Hoyang stopped and turned his head. His face was twisted into a fierce scowl, but his slightly clouded eyes could not fully conceal his straitened circumstances.

Why had he risked coming out to sell the Snow Ginseng when he knew Won Seogang was after him?

If he was paying the Black Night Gang to stay there and had run out of money...

He might be driven out soon.

“No matter how precious Tianshan Snow Ginseng is, it isn’t something that sells easily unless the right buyer comes along. What will you do?”

He really did seem desperate for money. Ban Hoyang gritted his teeth as though I had struck the mark, then strode over and held out his hand.

“Let me see the bank drafts.”

“Bring out the Snow Ginseng.”

Ban Hoyang set the wooden box on the table with a thud.

I took out my money pouch and handed it over whole.

Previously, I had received ten bank drafts worth ten taels of silver each from the Pavilion Master, and I had spent one immediately.

Before leaving Seochon, I bought another from the Hao clan to bring the total back to exactly ten.

After checking the bank drafts, Ban Hoyang clenched his fist so hard it trembled and glared at me as though he wanted to kill me.

He growled as if he might draw his saber, but perhaps he realized I was no easy target. He turned away. The door flew open, then slammed shut with a loud bang.

After Ban Hoyang left, I picked up the Snow Ginseng. Touching it myself confirmed that it was no ordinary herb.

“Didn’t we pay too much for this?”

“We bought it cheaply. I have never seen anyone bargain someone down so mercilessly in my life.”

“Did you not say it was mid-grade?”

“That is only in Tianshan. Compared to other Snow Ginseng, it is top-grade. It would be worth around three hundred taels of silver. That bastard must have been truly desperate. He knew the market price and still sold it for a pittance.”

I put the Snow Ginseng safely into my robes and stood.

When we left the inner room, the herbalist bowed deeply and led us out the back door.

Judging by their beaming face, they must have squeezed a hefty commission out of Ban Hoyang.

When we returned to the inn, unease washed over me.

I did not know when something might happen. I wanted to swallow the Tianshan Snow Ginseng immediately.

Do Hoengil shook his head.

“Snow Ginseng is a spirit herb of extreme yin. If you consume it as it is, its dreadful yin energy will freeze your blood vessels and organs, and you will freeze to death. Prepare it with medicinal ingredients that carry yang energy before consuming it.”

Word always gets around.

Naturally, I expected thieves to come, so I prepared thoroughly. I blocked the door with a table and dozed in short intervals with my saber held against my chest.

Despite all my vigilance, the inn remained quiet through the night.

* * *

Early the next morning, we boarded the same carriage from yesterday and departed for Seochon.

As the city receded, open fields stretched before us. Crops ripening under the summer sun rippled in the wind.

A cloud of dust rose in the distance beyond that quiet, peaceful scenery.

At first, I thought they were travelers headed for Seochon, but as I watched closely, their shapes gradually emerged.

Ten martial artists on horseback.

They were charging toward us.

I remembered Ban Hoyang gritting his teeth yesterday.

Of course. This was not some tiny transaction. If a deal ended this cleanly, it would not be the Black Market.

I had felt uneasy because nothing happened last night, but now that a band of robbers had appeared, I could finally relax.

“So many gnats have gathered.”

Do Hoengil clicked his tongue with a frown. I went forward and called to the driver.

“Robbers are approaching.”

The driver turned with a startled expression. Once the driver counted the thieves, their expression hardened.

We were far from the city. There were no witnesses and nowhere to seek help.

Meanwhile, they drew closer.

A carriage pulled by a single horse could not shake them. At this rate, they would catch us before we reached Seochon.

I had no idea how skilled they were or what weapons they used.

We might manage if we met them on foot with blades in hand. But if we were surrounded by several people on horseback, fighting would become difficult.

In a situation like this, going into the mountains was best. If we crossed them, they could not pursue us any farther. Or we could lure them somewhere or set a trap...

A suitable place suddenly came to mind.

“That Black Inn from yesterday. I am certain there is a trap beneath the floorboards.”

The creaking sound had definitely been different. There had to be empty space beneath the floor.

Perhaps thinking it better than heading into the mountains, Do Hoengil nodded.

“Let’s go to that inn from yesterday.”

“What? There? ...Very well.”

The driver looked reluctant, but drove the carriage without complaint. The driver whipped the horse to make it run as fast as possible, trying to avoid being caught by the robbers.

A banner hung outside the shabby inn again today.

The driver stopped the carriage in front of the entrance and fled into the mountains.

As we entered, the same man from yesterday came out of the kitchen.

“Welco...”

I rushed him without warning and struck his solar plexus with my sheathed saber. The man went down in one blow. I tied his hands and feet, threw him into the kitchen, and checked behind the counter.

There had to be a device to operate the trap.

When I pulled away the cloth covering it, I found an iron lever tilted to one side. A long groove had been carved beside it so it could be pulled sideways.

“I found it.”

Do Hoengil had already gone to a table at the far end of the inn and set down his bundle. I hid beneath the counter.

Soon, hoofbeats sounded outside. Robbers carrying weapons rushed into the inn.

None of them even wore masks. They openly displayed their vile faces. It was not because of the heat. They intended to rob and kill us anyway, so there was nothing to hide.

“Hehehe. Did you come to the inn for a drink before dying? What a shame. There is no one here.”

Smacking their lips, the robbers slowly approached Do Hoengil.

The space between the tables in this inn was excessively wide. That empty area was likely the trap.

When they stepped over it, I pulled the iron lever with all my strength.

Thwaaang!!

The floorboards between the tables split apart to either side.

“Argh!”

The robbers lost the ground beneath their feet and fell into the trap with brief screams. Four robbers standing outside the trap recoiled in horror.

Do Hoengil swung his sword like lightning, cutting down two of them. I hurried out from the side and drew my saber.

I cut down one robber as they turned away and kicked another into the trap.

I went outside and looked around. No stragglers were in sight.

I entered the kitchen. I intended to ask the man about the Black Inn, but white foam spilled from his mouth and he had already died. He seemed to have bitten a poison pill.

After searching the kitchen, I found a hidden staircase beside the storeroom.

As I descended the curved, semicircular stairs, groans of pain echoed eerily.

Iron bars stood at the end of the stairs.

Looking up through them, the drop was more than roughly fifteen metres deep. At that height, even a master could not escape unscathed.

Five of them had died instantly with their heads split open. Three writhed with broken limbs. The remaining two could not rise either, perhaps because their spines were injured.

I opened the iron bars. When I stepped inside, several robbers who remained conscious begged for mercy.

“Spare us...”

“Who sent you?”

“We only accepted a job.”

“From whom?”

“I do not know the name. I truly do not!”

“We were only told to retrieve an item.”

“What item?”

“Something called Snow Ginseng.”

“Where were you told to bring it?”

“...The Black Night Gang. We were told to come to the Black Night Gang in Seochon.”

Once I had asked enough, I picked up a fallen sword and stabbed them in the throat one by one.

The robbers convulsed as wet, bubbling sounds rose from them, then they fell still.

After confirming they were dead, I searched their robes.

They carried a fair amount of silver for robbers.

Altogether, there were seven taels of silver, three hundred copper coins, and three bank drafts worth one tael of silver each.

I gathered their swords and sabers together, wrapped them in cloth, and tied the bundle tightly with rope. Then I returned to the inn.

Do Hoengil stood in the middle of the inn, looking at the gaping trap with an odd expression.

“A trap for catching martial artists.”

Human trafficking was the Black Inn’s main business.

They mostly kidnapped children and women. Occasionally, they also targeted martial artists like this.

Many people wanted to learn martial arts and become strong, but places that taught properly were rare.

Therefore, highly skilled masters could name their price.

That man had likely managed the inn alone, waited until a suitable master entered, then operated the trap to send them crashing underground.

After that, he would call his accomplices and drag them away.

If Do Hoengil and I had carelessly entered the inn yesterday and walked across that spot, we would have fallen underground and broken our legs.

Then we would have been tortured until we died, forced to reveal every martial art we knew.

If you trusted only your martial arts and failed to watch where you stepped, you would ultimately die because of those same martial arts.

How many masters had met futile deaths here?

As I was about to leave, I thought someone might come looking for this place.

I threw the corpse of the man who had bitten the poison pill into the trap and returned the iron lever to its original position. The mechanism activated, and the floorboards slowly rose back into place.

I gathered our spoils and stepped outside.

The driver, who had fled into the mountains, had returned and was gathering the scattered horses. Three had gone missing, leaving seven.

Their owners were dead, so all those horses belonged to me now.

“Can the Hao clan dispose of these horses?”

“These are relay horses.”

The driver showed me the relay-station brand stamped onto one horse’s hindquarters.

Had those robbers boldly attacked a relay station, killed the officials, and stolen the horses? They had probably rented them with money.

It was illegal in principle, but officials made a habit of lining their pockets by any means necessary.

“So they cannot be sold?”

“What cannot be sold? It just means the fee will be steep if you want to avoid the consequences.”

“How much can we get?”

“Around three taels of silver per horse.”

“Dispose of them that way.”

Twenty-one taels of silver for the horses. Adding what I had taken from the dead robbers, that made thirty-one taels of silver and three hundred copper coins.

I had recovered around a third of the hundred taels I spent to purchase the Tianshan Snow Ginseng.

After drinking water and resting briefly, we tied the horses one behind another to the carriage and set out again.

The driver stopped the carriage in a low mountain area near Seochon. Leading seven horses into the village would draw too much attention.

Do Hoengil and I guarded the horses while the driver took the carriage alone and brought back a group of Hao clan members.

They each took one horse and headed for Seochon at staggered intervals.

Only around evening, when the sunset had spread red across the sky, did we return by carriage.

Rather than going straight home, I crossed through town.

I wanted internal energy as soon as possible. I needed to find a physician who could prepare the Tianshan Snow Ginseng.

Only one physician came to mind.

Old Physician Sang, formerly an army physician, who had saved Gusam when he was hovering between life and death. I had heard before where he lived.

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