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nSeomun-deok entered the office of Homu-ryeonju.

nHomu-ryeonju looked at Seomundeok while pushing the documents piled up on the table to the side.

n“When did you arrive patrol leader? I thought you said it wasn’t easy?”

nSeomun-deok bowed his head a little and sat down on a chair in front of Homu-ryeonju.

n“There was nothing special.”

n“What do you mean nothing special? I heard you had trouble clearing up the kids’ **.”

nSeomun-deok smiled.

n“So I sent the kids who ** themselves back. I didn’t want to make the water cloudy here.”

n“Good job. No matter how many useless people you have by your side, they are still useless.”

nHo Mu Ryeon-ju, who said that, asked, changing the atmosphere.

n“So, how was it?”

nSeomun-deok shook his head.

n“I didn’t find anything unusual.”

n“Is that right?”

nThe reason Seomun-deok went up to Uichang to meet the Seomunjaehak crew this time was because he had a different purpose.

nHis goal was Geumwol hostel.

nNo, to be exact it was Geumwol merchants.

nThere was a rumor that Geumwol merchants were receiving help from some dangerous people backing them up, so he was investigating it.

nIn other words, if the dangerous group backing them was the Black Lotus or Cheonma Shinkyo, it was a really big deal.

nSo, not only Seomun-deok but also people with talent in Homu-ryeon took the part and working hard to investigate it.

nThis was not the case where Homu-ryeon moved alone, but it was in response to the Moorim League’s request for cooperation.

nBy cooperating, in case of emergencies, they could receive support from the Moorim League branch or the Moorim League’s guilds.

nAnyway, this was the reason why they had sent 20 elite warriors of Ho Mu-ryeon with him when he was picking up only Seomunjaehak.

nThey stayed at Geumwol Hostel and obtained information in their own way.

n“The number of bodyguards were higher than normal, but that would be natural because it belongs to Geumwol merchants… There was really nothing other than that.”

nHo Mu Ryeon-ju stroked his chin and fell in thought.

n“Now, investigations from various places are arriving one after another… Everyone says the same.”

n“They couldn’t find anything at all?”

n“It should be said that there is nothing suspicious at this point but… … .”

n“Is there something that is bothering you?”

nHomu-ryeonju nodded heavily.

n“It bothers me that there is so little.”

n“Exactly… … .”

n“It feels somewhat arbitrary. I can’t pinch what that is, but.”

n“Then, let’s find out more.”

n“Please.”

n“It is nothing. It’s something I should be doing.”

n“Oh. And you said you came with Il Chim Gui?”

n“Yes. It somehow happened that way.”

n“But I’ve been hearing something weird.”

nAs Seomundeok looked at him, Homu-ryeon-ju continued.

n“I heard that Il Chim Gui entered the Gold Wall Merchants? Not only that but so did Chun Chu Shin Ui, right?”

nSeomun-deok replied calmly.

n“The two were together, it’s true.”

nThe eyes of Homu-ryeonju flashed.

n“That’s amazing. Was the Gold wall merchants always that impressive?”

n“Nothing has been confirmed yet. When I came here, I deliberately kept a distance. There will be many opportunities.”

nHomu-ryeonju nodded.

n“Good job. Anyway, as long as they accepted our invitation, they will be with us until the end of the meeting, so we can arrange something in the meantime.”

n“Yes. But… … .”

n“Why but? Is there something bothering you?”

n“The second son of the Gold wall merchants came together… but It was a person who gave me a strange feeling.”

nCuriosity arose in the eyes of Homu-ryeonju. It was very rare that Seomun-deok made such an evaluation.

n“What was strange about him?”

n“I talked face-to-face for just a moment when I asked for a boat ride…but he didn’t feel like he matched his age for some reason.”

n“Old people are everywhere no?”

n“Rather than that… It would be funny to say this, but I felt the presence of a master.”

nHis eyes widened.

n“A master? Does that mean he was strong enough for even you to call a master?”

nSeomun-deok shook his head quickly.

n“It was clear he didn’t have enough inner power built up yet. I wouldn’t know if he was on a level where I couldn’t even compete with him, but honestly, that is something that is difficult for even the Guild leader of Moorim.”

n“Right. One can say your senses are the best in the world.”

n“That is going too far. It’s just a little sensitive. Anyway, there was no inner power. When I asked around, it seemed that he was also sick.”

n“Sick? Are you saying he has come this far while sick? From Wuhan?”

n“He seems to be engaged to the daughter of the Yeon Household that came together.”

n“You sure looked into it a lot. Did you by any chance look into all the other things too?”

nWhen Ho Mu Ryeon-ju asked jokingly, Seomun-deok shook his head.

n“That’s all there is to it. Oh, when I wondered what the disease was, they said that it was Jeolmaek.”

n“Jeolmaek?”

nHis eyes widened.

n“Isn’t that a very serious illness? I don’t think it’s time to come to something like this?”

n“It looks like the Chun Chu Shin Ui and Il Chim Gui are looking after the disease together.”

n“Hmm… He’s quite the big shot.”

nOf course, it was half a joke.

nHowever, both Seomun-deok and Ho Mu-ryeon-ju were well aware that they should not just go over it.

n“Isn’t it a bit different from the Gold Wall that we knew?”

n“Yes. Let’s investigate.”

n“Let’s find out the relationship between the Gold Wall and Geumwol.”

n“Yes.”

nHe tried to do that, already. No, first of all, he tried to start with it.

nMaybe Il Chim Gui and Chun Chu Shin Ui are connected to the Geumwol Merchants.

nAnd this meant that Geumwol provided those two doctors to Gold Wall.

nIt wasn’t an assumption that made no sense at all.

n“Then I will head back for now. Oh, why don’t you meet Il Chim Gui and Chun Chu Shin Ui in person?”

n“I should. I should treat the guests properly.”

nSeo Mun-deok bowed his head and stepped back.

nHo Mu Ryeon-ju smiled until then and then quickly erased his expression.

n“Something… It feels like something complicated is going on where no one knows.”

nHo Mu Ryeon-ju shook his head to shake off his thoughts, and then he buried himself in the pile of documents once again.

n* * *

nThe first day at Homu-ryeon had no schedule.

nThey arrived relatively early, but they didn’t need to greet anyone, so they just rested at their assigned accommodation.

nBut it was okay if they didn’t have to stay only in the accommodation. If they wished, they could go ahead and meet other guests, or they could greet each other.

nAlso, people with that purpose visited the lodge where Byeoktaesan stayed.

nOf course, they did not come to see Byeoktaesan, but to see Yeonharin.

nRumors about Yeon Ha-rin’s beauty were now expanding beyond infinite and all over Hubei.

nIt wasn’t enough to shake Hubei yet, but rumors quickly spread by people who had seen Yeonharin even once.

nPeople who wanted to confirm the rumor visited, but in fact, the number was small.

nThat story will change over time.

nHowever, no one came to see Il Chim Gui or Chun Chu Shin Ui.

nIt seemed that the news was not delivered properly.

nIf everyone knew about that, won’t their accommodation be filled with people?

n“Well, should I lock the door so that no one can come in?”

nAs Byeoktaesan muttered, the people in the room looked at him at once.

nThere were three servants and Cheon Gyeong-wan in the room.

nChun Chu-Shin-ui and Il-chim-gui went to see Ho Mu Ryeon-ju.

nYeon Ha-rin and Yoo Seo-yeon were welcoming guests in different rooms.

n“My lord, are you bored?”

nSoso asked Byeoktaesan like that, and then quickly turned her gaze away.

nAfter hearing that story, she tried not to mix words with Byeoktaesan as much as possible, but she had spoken without realizing it.

nAfter all, habits can be pretty scary.

n“Why ask and turn your head? Are you ignoring me?”

n“Well, of course not. How would I do that to the lord? That, just… … .”

n“Just, what?”

nSoso’s face turned red. How can he say that right now?

nBy this point, anyone in the room could see that there was something going on between them.

nEven the dull Cheon Gyeong-wan.

nAnd Dan-young and Chae-wol also noticed what it was.

nThe two women looked at Soso with eyes mixed with envy and surprise.

n“What is wrong with you again?”

nByeoktaesan asked, looking at Cheon Gyeong-wan.

nCheon Gyeong-wan said in a hard voice.

n“Nothing, nothing.”

nEveryone looked at Cheon Gyeong-wan at the same time.

nChun Gyeong-wan’s tone was so hard that it was like reading a book.

nAlso, he didn’t seem to know that he said ‘nothing’ twice.

nBesides, the expression was very bizarre.

n“Where ever you go, don’t lie.”

n“It’s not a lie, not a lie.”

nByeoktaesan smiled.

n“True, you were a guy who couldn’t even stand still expressionless. At that time, it was good not to give you a line to say.”

n“It’s different from, it’s different from then.”

n“What is different? Do you know that that you have a facial expression you usually don’t have right now?”

n“From the beginning, from the beginning, I had this expression.”

nByeoktaesan smiled.

n“Seeing you doing that… Do you have something to say to Yoo Seo-yeon?”

n“Warrior Yoo, Warrior Yoo has nothing to do with this!”

nEventually, Danyoung and Chaewol turned their heads slightly and covered their mouths with their hands. Seeing that he was shaking his shoulders, it seemed quite funny.

nWhen Dan-young and Chae-wol began to laugh, Soso, who had been holding up well until then, stuck tightly next to the two women, raising their shoulders.

nStill, she almost didn’t make a sound as if she was worried that Cheon Gyeong-wan would be afraid.

nByeoktaesan made fun of Cheon Gyeong-wan for a while.

nAnd until the end, Cheon Gyeong-wan didn’t notice that when he lied, he said the first word twice.

n* * *

nWhen Byeoktaesan was making fun of Cheon Gyeong-wan out of boredom, Yeon Ha-rin had just sent away a guest and was taking a break.

n“I’ve only met with three guests, but seeing as it’s this hard already, what do I do?”

nYoo Seo-yeon, who was next to Yeon Ha-rin’s, smiled gently.

n“You are convinced that more guests will come in the future.”

nYeon Ha-rin blinked her eyes and slightly supported her with her hand and looked at Yoo Seo-yeon.

n“How can people not come to see this beauty of mine.”

nIf it was not in front of Yoo Seo-yeon, she never showed it.

n“A lot will come. Perhaps the people who saw you today will spread a lot of rumors on their own. Many people will admire and awe at you.”

nYeon Ha-rin’s expression turned slightly grim.

n“So what if they do? There is no response from the one I want that to happen to.”

n“My Lady… … .”

n“He didn’t hold my hand once while coming here. Does that make sense? How can you do that with an engaged woman like me next to him?”

nYeon Ha-rin said so and pouted her lips. Even like that, she was very pretty.

nEven though she was the same woman.

n“He goes to the brothel so much too.”

n“I told you that it was supposed to be to heal the disease.”

n“So why do you go to a brothel to cure the disease? He has me, someone engaged to him. Even though I even told him not to go to the brothel and come to me!”

nYoo Seo-yeon looked at Yeon Ha-rin with a sad expression.

nIt wasn’t something she could help with.

nYeon Ha-rin and Byeok Tae-san will take care of it.

nLooking at Yu Seo-yeon in thought, Yeon Ha-rin said.

n“And the atmosphere of Soso these days is strange.”

n“Yes? Soso?”

n“Yeah… There must be something going on with the lord. Or maybe there will be.”

n“No way. Soso is really family-like with the lord. There is absolutely no room for other emotions.”

n“There is no such thing as absolute in the world.”

nYoo Seo-yeon made a determined expression. She cannot do anything about the relationship between Byeoktaesan and Yeon Ha-rin.

nBut could she give her a little help?

nFor example, something like this.

n“My lady, would you like to use this?”

nYeon Ha-rin looked at Yoo Seo-yeon with a puzzled expression.

nYoo Seo-yeon pulled out an elongated needle from her arms and broke it in half.

n“What, what is that?”

nEven though she broke it in half, the needle was very long.

n“It’s a needle made by hardening the poison that numbs your senses when you get stung.

n“Poi, it’s poison?”

n“I thought it was for paralyzing the muscles, but when I asked in detail it was temporarily paralyzing the senses.”

n“Well, what can I do with it?”

n“This poison has side effects.”

n“Side, side effects?”

n“It greatly amplifies small desires. That’s why it makes you do things you don’t usually do often. In the case of Warrior Cheon who used this, he tried to sleep with me. Even though he failed in the end.”

nYoo Seo-yeon’s expression looked somewhat regretful when she said that.

nYeon Harin swallowed.

n“I was going to wait a bit and use it in case for later, but I think you can use it right now.”

nYoo Seo-yeon’s eyes flashed when she said that.

nYeon Ha-rin looked scared of Yoo Seo-yeon for some reason today. But even then, she reached out her hand and received the needle.

n“You must use it when it’s just you two.”

n“I know that much, okay?”

nYeon Ha-rin’s face turned red. And, as if making excuses, she said to Yoo Seo-yeon.

n“It looks dangerous, so I’m just going to hold onto it. I will never use this okay?”

nYoo Seo-yeon smiled.

n“Of course. Whatever you say.”

nYeon Ha-rin’s face turned red.

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