Chapter 60
Even though someone was right in front of her asking for help, she didn’t want to make excuses—saying she was too weak, or it would bring trouble, or whatever other reason—to justify doing nothing.
Isn’t there something I can do?
If they helped Lee Mu-geol now, he might become a big help to them later. Maybe, just maybe, they could even save his father—something that didn’t happen in the original story.
More than anything, Sowol wanted to help because she understood what it meant to want to protect someone you loved.
But she was still a five-year-old with a terminal illness. There was absolutely nothing she could do on her own.
If only I had power…
Clenching her tiny fist, Eun Sowol suddenly lifted her head.
Wait… I do have power.
Dok Go-ryong.
He never got involved in troublesome things and always calculated profit and loss before acting. But—there were rare times he moved without thinking about the cost.
That was when it involved her.
So my weapon… is Uncle.
Of course, she couldn’t fully control that “weapon.” Especially now, if she just said, “Uncle, help them because they’re pitiful!”—he wouldn’t even listen.
To move Dok Go-ryong, there had to be a proper reason.
“Payment!”
Breaking the heavy silence, Eun Sowol raised her voice.
Everyone turned toward her—especially Mu-geol, who looked completely hopeless just moments ago.
“You said you had valuable information, right? Tell us what it is!”
A spark of light returned to Mu-geol’s eyes. As he regained hope, Dok Go-ryong shook his head.
“Forget it. It won’t be anything worth it. He doesn’t even look like he can feed himself. Even if he sold all the herbs he has, it probably wouldn’t be worth 100 nyang—”
“A spirit beast’s core.”
Mu-geol said it softly, but everyone heard it.
“I have a core from a spirit beast. It’s rare and valuable. I’m sure it’ll help you, sir. You’re looking for rare medicine, right?”
As expected!
When Mu-geol had first mentioned payment, Sowol guessed it might be about a spirit core.
Spirit beast cores couldn’t be bought just with money. You needed extreme luck or rare circumstances to find one.
No wonder people call those moments “fateful encounters.”
Now… how would her uncle react?
Heart pounding, Sowol waited for Dok Go-ryong to speak.
“What kind of spirit beast?”
Yes! If he wasn’t interested, he would’ve rejected it right away.
“…I can’t say that yet. But I swear on my name and on our merchant group—it won’t be a bad deal. Please accept my request.”
Mu-geol even dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.
His desperation was clear.
“Brother.”
Dang Jin-ak spoke softly, giving Dok Go-ryong a look that said, “Are you really going to ignore this?”
“Uncle, can’t you help? We need that medicine too!”
Sowol also looked up at him with pleading eyes.
This was their first real lead on the medicine. Everyone wanted Dok Go-ryong to act. At this point, he had no more excuses.
Sowol was sure he’d accept the request.
“Little brat’s using her brain, huh.”
Dok Go-ryong muttered as he gently set Sowol down.
Brat? Was he talking about Mu-geol?
Before she could think more, she saw a rare sight—Uncle’s lips curled slightly into a smile.
Wait… is he smiling?
She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but when she looked again, his face was blank as usual.
“So what’s the request? If it’s to wipe them all out, I’m not taking it.”
“I’m not asking for that! Just… please make sure they can’t threaten me or my father anymore.”
“Geez, that’s even harder.”
“Brother, should I help?”
“No. This isn’t a knight-in-shining-armor situation. You’re the young lord of a noble family. Your clan didn’t let you roam the world to cause trouble.”
“Still… two are better than one, right?”
Dok Go-ryong paused as he put on his traveling hat and grabbed his weapons, then looked at Dang Jin-ak.
He already had a throwing dagger in hand, ready to jump in if needed.
With a snort, Dok Go-ryong flicked Jin-ak on the forehead.
“Ow!”
Jin-ak flinched, completely confused.
He hadn’t even seen Dok Go-ryong move. Not a single sign of it.
“See? This is why I can’t stand those righteous types. If you were a demonic sect guy, you would’ve attacked first and asked questions later.”
“If we don’t stop them now, they’ll keep going after Yugok’s head.”
“True, but you’re missing something.”
“…What is it?”
“Forget it. Put that dagger away. If you throw it without permission, I’ll be the one killing you.”
Rubbing his swollen forehead, Jin-ak glanced at the dagger, then at Go-ryong, and quietly slipped it back into his sleeve.
“Kid, stay close to him. Don’t get in the way.”
“Okay! Uncle, good luck!”
Sowol raised her little fists in encouragement, and Dok Go-ryong gave her a slight smile before heading outside.
“That’s enough now. From what I see, Yugok’s head clearly doesn’t want to join Mukhyangbang. And you guys don’t seem to want him either.”
Dok Go-ryong strolled over casually, acting completely carefree.
Jae-ha, still on the ground, looked up at him in shock.
“Sir… It’s dangerous…!”
“If you’ve got complaints, take them up with my client.”
Resting his hand on his sword, Dok Go-ryong stood with one leg out, completely relaxed.
The Mukhyang thugs laughed at his attitude.
“And who the hell are you? If you don’t want to get hurt, walk away now.”
“Normally I wouldn’t get involved… but I accepted a request I couldn’t refuse. Let’s not waste energy fighting over nothing.”
Waving lazily, Dok Go-ryong helped Jae-ha up and began walking him back toward the cottage.
Jae-ha looked back and forth between Go-ryong and the thugs, unsure if this was really okay.
Even the Mukhyang thugs looked confused, as if someone had just kicked them out for no reason.
“You bastard! Who said you could take Lee Jae-ha away?!”
The biggest thug—the same one who caused the market fight—reached out his thick hand without hesitation.
But just as he was about to grab Go-ryong’s neck—
Whack!
Without even drawing his sword, Dok Go-ryong slapped the man’s hand aside with the sheathed blade.
The man stared at his flailing hand, not understanding what just happened.
“You can still walk, right?”
Jae-ha nodded, dazed.
“Then go sit quietly with your son.”
Go-ryong gave him a little push.
As Jae-ha stumbled, Mu-geol ran up and caught his father.
“Father! Hurry, let’s get away!”
“W-wait, Geora! That man—why would he…?”
“I made a request! He’ll protect us!”
Jae-ha couldn’t believe it. How had his son managed that?
But he pulled his hand away and stopped walking.
“No, Geora. Even if that man is strong, it’s too dangerous to fight them!”
“He’s the Unbeaten Fixer! He’ll handle it!”
“That’s not the issue! One of them is Wind Fiend!”
“W-Wind Fiend?! Isn’t he one of the Five Hidden Ghosts?! Why would someone like him be with Mukhyangbang…?”
Wind Fiend.
He was one of the five top warriors known as the Five Hidden Ghosts, who acted as neutral protectors of Heuksigok.
They usually stayed hidden and only appeared when serious trouble broke out—always maintaining neutrality.
Why is Wind Fiend here?!
And he wasn’t just any member—he was one of the top three among the five.
With him as an enemy, they had no chance of winning.
Damn it! I should’ve kept my cool! Now I’ve dragged him into this…!
Mu-geol blamed himself. He was just about to stop Go-ryong when—
BOOM—CRASH!!
A huge gust of wind roared by, followed by a deafening explosion.
The massive thug—twice the size of Dok Go-ryong—was now embedded in a boulder beside the cottage, completely unconscious.
