Chapter 118
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 118
Chapter 118. The real mastermind is close by (3)
That means the Clan Head's eldest son or the trainer hid something that could be used as evidence inside.
Or maybe they want to frame them.
If so, does that mean that the person who hid the evidence can also get inside?
Or maybe they bribed someone who can get inside.
As far as I know, the eldest son of the current Clan Head was imprisoned in his previous life.
That means either his plan was discovered, or he was framed.
My head started to ache.
The first thing we need to confirm is whether what is inside is related to the Hyeongmunpa's poisonous snake.
We have to get inside somehow...
The problem is that what's inside isn't just a snake, but a highly poisonous snake.
But that's strange.
Why can I only sense the energy of the Hyeongmunpa's poisonous snake here?
I couldn't sense the energy I felt from the Qi Dispersing Poison that almost ruined Jin-ho's Vice Captain coronation ceremony.
Could it be?
I asked Young Mistress Seol.
“What is the third Young Master you saw earlier in charge of?”
“The third Orabeoni is the Vice Captain of the Tiger Step Corps.”
“Is the Tiger Brigade another military unit?”
“It's the main family's strike force.”
“I see.”
I wondered why it was called the Tiger Brigade, but it's quite fitting for a strike force.
“I'd like to visit there for a moment.”
“...I'll show you the way.”
Unusually, the military units were located far apart from each other. They were at the eastern and western ends of the city.
“There are many people in the military who are obsessed with martial arts, so when they get into a fight, it often doesn't end quietly. That's why they are kept far apart, to keep the families from fighting each other.”
“That's a wise decision.”
When I arrived at the military camp at the western end, I felt a moment of nausea.
This nausea was from the Black Sword.
The Black Sword in the Sichuan Tang Clan!
That doesn't make any sense...
No, it does make sense.
Even in the Jegal Clan, I felt the aura of the Black Sword from a man named Jegal Kyung.
That means there is someone like him here too.
At that moment, the third son of the Clan Head I had seen earlier came out, as if he knew we had entered the Hobo Corps.
“Welcome. We welcome your kindness.”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
“I am Dang Yeon-chil, Vice Captain of the Hobo Corps.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho.”
Following my introduction, the guards standing behind me also introduced themselves.
“I heard you are here on a tour.”
“Yes, that's right.”
“Then we must live up to your expectations. Ha ha ha. Please come this way. I will show you the training ground.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Captain Dao-yeon-chil said to Miss Dae-soo-bin.
“By the way, don't you recognize your older brother?”
“I don't think it's necessary.”
“Well, okay.”
What's going on? These two are siblings, but they don't seem to get along very well.
“This way, please.”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
It felt even more disgusting than Je Gal-kyung, but I forced myself to keep smiling.
If I hadn't reached my peak, I might have vomited from the disgust.
I looked around the training ground, but couldn't find any evidence of Qi Dispersing Poison.
Was it a waste of time?
However, my guess that the black curtain behind the Tang family was their third son, Captain Tang, seemed to be correct.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to be so disgusting.
Jisangdang Dokgaksah hid evidence of the Hyeongmunpa sect's hereditary disease in our cage in order to drive out his eldest son.
The problem is that there is no evidence that he is the mastermind.
My disgust cannot be used as objective evidence.
And in order to create and leak a poison that causes the secret manual of the Sichuan Tang Clan to be passed down, such as Qi Dispersing Poison, it would make sense for him to be involved in something related to that.
However, Tang Yichil is a member of the Hobodae, a military organization.
Furthermore, if there is no clear evidence that he is a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, I could be framed as the culprit.
Wait a minute.
An organization that creates such things?
Having left the Hobodae, I asked Miss Dang Su-bin.
“What does your second Orabeoni do?”
“He is the deputy leader of the Dokhwadang. And I am also involved there.”
Our next destination was decided.
I said to Miss Dang Su-bin.
“This time, I would like to see where you work.”
She was visibly delighted at my words and said,
“Finally, it's my turn! This way.”
Dokhwadang.
It was a place where poisons were developed and researched, and it was divided into two main areas: poison use and research.
“My second brother is in research, and I'm in poison use.”
I smiled with satisfaction.
This time, we wouldn't come back empty-handed.
As we got closer to the Poison Hall, I could feel the Qi Dispersing Poison that almost ruined Jin-ho's Captain announcement ceremony getting stronger.
We entered the Poison Hall, and she excitedly showed me around.
Thanks to her, I learned
that the evidence of the Qi Dispersing Poison was in the research section of the Poison Hall.
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.
.
By the time we finished the tour, it was already evening.
“Today was very informative. Please convey my gratitude to the Clan Head.”
“Yes, I will.”
“By the way, how many siblings do you have?”
“Seven. Three older and three younger.”
“So Cho-woong is the youngest.”
“That's right. He's my younger brother from the same mother.”
Is she so affectionate because they are siblings?
“That's why he's special to me, but Cho-woong's talent is real.”
Her eyes sparkled as she said so.
“You say that! I'm looking forward to Cho-woong's future.”
I continued to ask questions as if it were no big deal.
“Are your three brothers nice to you?”
“Yes, they are. They're a little neglectful of their family because they're so focused on their studies, but I think that's understandable.”
“This may be a little rude to say, but when we were at the hobodae earlier, you seemed a little reluctant.”
From what I heard, it seemed like a normal conversation between siblings.
However, there was something clearly unsettling in her eyes.
“Actually…”
She stroked her arm and continued.
“I don't know if I should say this to you, but for some reason, I've felt uncomfortable around my third brother since I first met him.”
“I see.”
I hid my smile and clasped my hands together.
“I'm sorry for asking such a question.”
“No, it's okay.”
After asking a few more questions, we arrived at the annex where I was staying.
“Thank you for walking me here. Please go inside.”
Dang Soo-bin looked like she wanted to say something else.
However, she only hesitated and eventually left without saying anything else.
I ate dinner and fell into deep thought.
The first son of the Clan Head works at the place where the second son works, and something related to the Qi Dispersing Poison used by the Silver Sea Trading Company is hidden there.
If the third son revealed this fact, the first and second sons would be disqualified from becoming the Clan Head.
First, I had to confirm with my own eyes what exactly they were.
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.
That night.
When everyone was fast asleep.
I used a mirror to create my reflection on the bed. Then I quietly got out.
I couldn't let anyone else know about this.
I had to move quickly and secretly.
I carefully checked my surroundings. I had to be careful that my arms didn't stick out.
Nothing.
I immediately moved.
The martial arts I was using was the Bo-Hoon Bo-Hap technique that my Master had taught me.
With this technique, I can move without making a sound, and when I reach the peak of my movement, I don't even leave a trace of my footsteps.
My destination was the office of the chief clerk.
I had to check the evidence that was hidden in the cage in the office.
Soon, I entered the office.
“At night? There are people on duty at that time. One or two people? They make a round when it's time.”
I remembered what Miss Dao had said and waited for a moment, hanging from the roof.
Hanging from the roof was quite difficult, but my regular physical training came in handy.
After hanging there for about an hour, a bright light shone down on me.
Two men approached, carrying something like a cane with a small night pearl attached to it.
They said they were going to take a look around with night pearls instead of torches, as they might disturb the poisonous creatures in the area.
Such expensive night pearls in a place like this.
After looking around, they entered the building, and I heard the door close.
They won't come out for at least an hour.
I quietly climbed down and approached the cage of the poisonous creature.
The poisonous snake was awake.
Its body looked thicker than mine.
It would only be a bite for me.
Looking at the poisonous snake hissing at me, I put my hand inside my sleeve to take out the sleeping pills I had prepared.
I always carry sleeping pills with me because you never know when something might happen.
But the moment my eyes met Dokgaksa's,
his tail began to tremble. Then he curled his tail and ran away to the corner.
What is going on?
Why did he run away when he saw me?
This is confusing.
Anyway, I won't need to use the sleeping pills now. I picked up a needle to pick the lock on our cage.
It was a skill I had learned in my previous life.
It had come in handy before.
Click.
The lock opened.
I cautiously entered and searched the room thoroughly.
Hidden among the hay piled up on the floor was a bundle.
It felt like a book.
As I was about to put it in my pocket, I suddenly had an interesting idea.
“I can use what I have in my pocket for this.”
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By the time I arrived at Dokhwadang, it was already late.
I returned to the guest room where I was staying and removed the image of myself that I had made with a mirror.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Huh!”
I was startled by the voice of Pal-gap behind me.
I hurriedly turned around and saw Pal-gap staring at me.
I asked casually, pretending to be calm.
“Why aren't you sleeping?”
“How could I stop you when you went out?”
“....”
“Are you upset?”
“Why would I be upset?”
It was clear. He was upset.
“It's because I went out alone and put myself in danger, isn't it?”
“Huh...”
Pal-gap sighed.
“To be honest, I've decided not to worry anymore when you go out alone. You're skilled in martial arts, and you have children.”
“....”
“So, could you please let me know when you go out? That way, I can take action if something happens.”
“Um...”
He had no reply because it was true.
I apologized obediently.
“I'm sorry. I'll tell you next time.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now go outside and keep watch.”
“Yes?”
“I have something to check.”
Still, Pal-gap, I am your master.
A moment later
I took out what I had found at Jisangdang and Dokhwadang from my pocket.
Two books.
I opened the books and began to read them carefully.
“Huh?”
The contents of the books were truly shocking.
This was research data on how to make the poison that caused the epidemic in the Hyeongmun sect and how to make Qi Dispersing Poison.
With this, there was no way I could escape being framed as the culprit.
And with these two books, I was certain that the mastermind was my third son.
This was because there was a faint but clear evil energy in the books.
It was the same evil energy I had felt from my third son.
But the Hobo-dae couldn't find any evidence of this, right?
Even if the Martial Alliance was behind this, Man-gyeol said that the two poisons were made by the Sichuan Tang Clan, which means that there must be a place where they were researched and created.
That place must be within his sight.
“Does that mean there is a secret room hidden somewhere?”
I gathered the books and put them in my pocket.
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It was morning.
I did my breathing exercises, trained, and ate breakfast.
It was an uneventful morning.
“Young Master.”
Pal-gap approached me and said.
“Young Mistress Dao has come to see you.”
“Oh, really?”
There was a separate reception room in the annex, and Miss Dao Su-bin was waiting for me there.
“Good morning.”
“Yes, Eung-gong.”
No matter how many times I hear the word Eung-gong, it still makes me feel shy.
“I have a message from your father. He asked you to spend some time with Jo-woong today.”
“Jo-woong?”
“Yes.”
Miss Dang Su-bin nodded.
“My father promised Jo-woong yesterday. He said that if he finished his assigned tasks, he would let him spend time with Eung-gong. But he finished all of his tasks yesterday.”
I didn't know what the tasks were, but judging from how proud Miss Dang Su-bin looked, they couldn't have been easy.