Chapter 35. Sword Demon Meets the Pickpocket

“I can’t understand it.”

Dang Segi muttered with a frown.

“If Gucheonseong is really behind the Child Abduction Ring, then what exactly are they after?”

At his words, Hoyeon nodded and responded.

“There’s only so much you can do with kidnapped children.”

“Hmm, I suppose the pretty ones would be sold off as courtesans or male prostitutes.”

“If they’re from noble families, they could be used as hostages for ransom.”

“And the rest… as serfs? Mine slaves? Salt slaves? But if that were the goal, kidnapping adults would be more efficient…”

They thought hard in several directions, but no matter how they considered it, the benefits of kidnapping children were minimal.

Compared to adults, children were weaker and had less stamina, making them less useful.

Sure, they were easier to abduct, but unless you intended to kill them, you had to feed and house them, which cost money.

‘Unless it’s a small black-market gang, it doesn’t make sense for a powerful group like Gucheonseong to go through the trouble of kidnapping kids—it’s not cost-effective.’

While Dang Segi was deep in thought, Hoyeon casually offered another theory.

“Unless… they’re trying to raise them as assassins.”

“Hm?”

“To create perfect assassins unafraid of death, you have to brainwash them from a young age and suppress their emotions and desires.”

“…Salmak.”

At Hoyeon’s words, both Sangwanhae and Moyong Yul stiffened.

Salmak, too, had a reason to kidnap children.

“Don’t tell me… Salmak is expanding its force by raising new assassins?”

“It’s too early to say for sure.”

But Hoyeon shook his head, showing a cautious attitude.

“I suspect Gucheonseong because I experienced something similar back in Hapsan.”

“Wahoche. One of the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds, and a branch of Nokcheon.”

“Yes. There were over thirty children imprisoned there. I learned it was the doing of a man named Mak Cheonak from the main stronghold, Cheongnokchae.”

That’s why Hoyeon had asked Mamujeon, the branch leader of Hao Clan in Shenyang.

Which black-market faction under Gucheonseong’s influence was the strongest in Liaoning?

‘Who would’ve thought a bunch of assassins were working out in the open?’

Hoyeon’s eyes sparkled.

Everything was starting to line up.

If Salmak’s assassins were abducting the children directly, it would also explain why no clear trail was being left.

“Hyung-nim, then what should we do now? Should we request help from the authorities?”

Moyong Yul asked in a trembling voice. Hoyeon shook his head.

“It wouldn’t help. With assassins roaming freely like this, who’s to say the magistrate isn’t in on it too?”

“Frankly, even if he’s not, there’s not much he could do. No one wants to get stabbed in their sleep.”

Sangwanhae offered a similarly negative opinion. Moyong Yul shouted urgently.

“T-Then let’s go to Baekyak Villa! My third brother Moyong Hak is there with Team 3. If we join them—”

“Baekyak Villa… I know it’s one of the eight major groups in Liaoning, but what exactly are they?”

To Hoyeon’s question, Dang Segi responded.

“They were originally a group of herb gatherers who made a fortune collecting rare herbs in the Changbaek Mountains. About fifty years ago, they started functioning more like a martial clan.”

“If they earned big money, they would’ve needed power to protect it.”

“Exactly. At first, Baekyak Villa was considered a demonic faction because they used poison and hidden weapons. People even call them the Tang Clan of Liaoning.”

Dang Segi chuckled and continued.

“That’s why the villa lord sent his daughter to marry Moyong Mugyeol and sends massive amounts of herbs and elixirs to the Moyong Clan every year.”

“In return, they get to operate under the Moyong name.”

Hoyeon nodded in understanding.

“For now, let’s start investigating on our own.”

“Huh?”

When Hoyeon said this, Moyong Yul blinked in surprise. Hoyeon smiled and added,

“The clever ones will take the initiative. Let us, the dim-witted juniors, just go around openly collecting information.”

Later That Night…

Creak!

A door opened beneath a red lantern’s glow.

A man in black robes slipped inside like a snake.

The store was empty and eerie, but the man walked straight to the counter.

Step, step, thud!

Standing at the counter, he spoke in a low, quiet voice.

“Report.”

“Nangung Hoyeon of the Nangung Clan. Moyong Yul of the Moyong Clan. Sangwan Hae of the Sangwan Clan. Dang Segi of the Tang Clan. They’ve arrived at Geumpoong Inn, to the north.”

“Their objective?”

“Unknown.”

“Do they suspect the Organization?”

“There is a possibility.”

“Has the training camp been compromised?”

“No.”

“Hmm…”

The black-robed man muttered in the darkness after listening to the report.

“A coincidence, perhaps?”

“Highly likely. Maybe they’re just chasing our notoriety, hoping to make a name for themselves.”

“Are they really that foolish? Do they not understand what it means to challenge us?”

The man clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“They came here disguised, right?”

“Yes. They claimed to be from the Cheongsang Merchant Guild, here to purchase herbs.”

“Pfft. Clumsy. Typical righteous clan brats.”

He smirked and added.

“Anyway, since they’ve walked into the tiger’s den, we should bite.”

“I’ll alert Yeongmun. Also, Sub-leader, there’s a message from the Lord.”

“…From the Lord?”

The black-clad man shuddered.

The Lord—none other than Salmakju, the Shadow King Muyeon, one of the Ten Fingers.

“He said a guest will soon arrive from Umsalmun, and that Sub-leader, as a candidate for regional command, should personally welcome them.”

“Oh-ho! At last! My turn has come!”

Crack!

The man clenched his fists and burst into loud laughter.

“Wahahaha! Excellent! This is killing two birds with one stone!”

At Dawn…

Tap! Slide!

A masked figure silently tread across rooftops, vanishing into the darkness.

In his emotionless eyes reflected the signboard: Geumpoong Inn.

‘Target: Moyong Yul. Messy hair, blue eyes. Easy to identify.’

Rustle…

The figure paused.

‘…Who’s there?’

Someone else was nearby.

He sensed a similar presence.

He immediately activated breath suppression and lowered his heart rate, reducing blood flow.

His presence faded into the night like smoke.

But—

Whoosh!

“Tch!”

A throwing weapon suddenly flew at him from the sky. The masked man dodged instantly.

Tatata!

He used stealth movement techniques to flee from Geumpoong Inn as quickly as possible.

An exposed assassin was no longer useful.

‘Is no one following?’

He slowed, realizing no one was chasing him.

‘A bodyguard? But they shouldn’t have outside protection during the mission.’

The Baekga Sword Trials prohibited the use of bodyguards or clan forces. Doing so would result in immediate disqualification.

‘Either way, I can’t handle this.’

Just as the assassin prepared to retreat—

“…Gasp!”

Despite all his training, he couldn’t stop the scream that escaped his mouth.

The sight before him was too surreal.

‘A… dagger?’

A dagger with a ruby hilt and faint red glow floated in the air, reflecting moonlight.

Hum…

Even more shockingly, the dagger hovered as if staring at him.

Then—

Tip.

It bowed gently, as if saying goodbye.

Then flew forward like a crimson ray of light.

Thud!

Somewhere in the back alley…

A grotesque corpse, skull shattered, collapsed like a pile of dead leaves.

The Next Morning…

“Yaaawn.”

“Hyung-nim, are you tired?”

“Tch. The alley cats kept me up all night. Couldn’t sleep.”

“Aww. Did the Moon Cat stomp your belly again?”

As Moyong Yul scolded the cat in his arms, the creature wailed pitifully.

“Excuse me.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you sell herbs?”

“Of course.”

When Hoyeon asked, the middle-aged owner looked him up and down.

‘What’s this? Some noble junior playing merchant?’

He could tell right away—the two young men were no ordinary buyers.

“What’s this?”

“…Aloe. Good for burns.”

“This?”

“Neem. Reduces fever.”

“And this?”

“Lemon balm. Good in tea.”

As Hoyeon inspected the herbs, he fiddled with baskets and digging tools and casually asked,

“It’s my first time here. Is it always this quiet?”

“If you want noise, go to Beijing.”

“Geez, how cold. Fine. Give me a pound of this.”

“Ahem!”

The owner quickly scooped a pound of lemon balm into a sack.

Hoyeon took out his coin pouch, and the clink of gold rang out.

“How much?”

“F-Five nyang!”

“So expensive?”

“S-Silver! Five nyang in silver!”

“Oh? I only carry gold. What a shame.”

The shopkeeper swallowed hard every time Hoyeon rummaged through his pouch.

“Ah, found some. Here’s five.”

“Th-Thank you. Generous young master indeed.”

Noticing the change in the man’s tone, Hoyeon smiled and asked again.

“Back to what I said—this town’s always quiet, huh?”

“Dandong’s always like this. It’s a mountain village, no festivals or anything.”

“There’s a river to the south, isn’t there?”

“Yes, the Yalu River. It flows into the Bohai Sea, but there’s too much Dongyi pirate activity—trading routes are risky.”

“No kids’ laughter either.”

“Well, anyone with a bit of sense sends their kids to the cities. This town’s not exactly safe for children.”

The shopkeeper looked around, then whispered, stretching his neck toward the red lanterns hanging on the opposite store.

“Ah, Salmak?”

“Gah! Keep your voice down!”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Salmak’s eyes and ears are everywhere. Say the wrong thing and you’ll become a ghost!”

The fear in his eyes was real.

“Can’t even mention it without permission, huh? Funny, I heard people come here all the time looking to hire them.”

Hoyeon spoke nonchalantly.

Sangwan Hae had told him this town had a lot of visitors—most were clients looking to hire assassins from Salmak.

“Y-You’re here for that?! Get out, both of you!”

“No, wait—”

“I thought you were noble sons! Filthy scum!”

Whack!

The owner shoved Hoyeon and Moyong Yul out. They didn’t resist.

“Tch, public sentiment’s harsh.”

“Seems like fear more than hatred.”

“Either way, we got what we needed.”

“Huh?”

When Moyong Yul looked up, Hoyeon shrugged.

“Looks like the Child Abduction Ring isn’t active around here. Otherwise, there’d be rumors about missing children.”

“Ah…”

“I expected that. Even pigs rolling in mud keep their own dens clean.”

If Salmak was behind the ring, they wouldn’t do anything traceable in their own backyard.

“That, ironically, makes this place suspiciously clean.”

“…”

Moyong Yul looked at Hoyeon in admiration.

‘Hyung-nim is amazing… I wish I could be more helpful.’

As he held the squirming Moon Cat in his arms, he debated something.

Maybe… he could tell him?

Just then—

Thudthudthud!

A scruffy boy ran between Hoyeon and Moyong Yul.

Smack!

“Ugh!”

“What the—?”

“S-Sorry, Hyung-nim…”

Moyong Yul nearly fell over, but Hoyeon caught him.

When Moyong Yul looked up in embarrassment—

Grin.

Hoyeon had a mischievous smile on his face, his eyes glinting.

“What a cheeky little brat.”