She said her name was Haran.
She was around 16 when she was sold to someone due to her father’s gambling debts. Because of her appearance, she was sold again to a famous person when she turned 17.
However, it took less than a year to rise to a second-class courtesan.
When she was around 18, she caught the eyes of the red light district, and was sold once more.
The boss, Chang Sik, recognized that she was the same one sold in the past.
So, out of curiosity or because he saw profit, he paid a high price again and brought her into his business.
But getting this to happen was her intention.
Haran, who had already paid off all the debts before turning 18 using her beauty, investigated the reason for her father’s gambling, borrowing money, and his horrible death.
She soon found out that everything was done by Chang Sik and his men, and approached them.
And after taking their money, she tried to employ an assassin.
“I didn’t think he would die.”
At this restaurant, Haran confided about her past to Seol-Hwi. On the way, they had met a doctor and had her wounds treated, so the swelling on her face had gone down.
“Are you saying the assassin you hired was killed by Chang Sik?” Seol-Hwi asked, not understanding.
Haran shook her head.
“No. The target of the assassin I hired was higher than that. Another person who works in the red light district and manages usury 1. Killing Chang Sik was going to be done after that.”
“…”
Seol-Hwi didn’t say anything, but he could guess who the target was.
Geum Man-jung.
The red-light district around this place isn’t without his influence. Moreover, if it was loaning money, he had to be involved.
“I still can’t believe it. I heard that this assassin never failed, but then…he was left in a junkyard with his body mutilated.”
Her voice trembled as she remembered that incident. She had to take deep breaths to calm herself.
“Well…”
Seol-Hwi closed his mouth. He thought about it for a moment.
Getting rid of the boss of the red light district isn’t an easy task. In these back-alley streets, a hierarchy is observed. If someone like Chang Sik is killed, the murderer will be pursued.
From the assassin, to the one who requested the kill, they will be hunted down. So, after eliminating the actual person who attacked Chang Sik, it would be fitting to remove the one who ordered them.
But the problem is Geum Man-jung…
Seol-Hwi knew a couple things about the man, and the warriors around Geum Man-jung.
The people who helped him recently were the Crimson Demon Pavilion. As a result, Seol-Hwi’s subordinates died because of not knowing the skills of their opponents, and he was killed too.
“You hired an assassin through the Lower District Sect?”
“That’s right.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“It’s a place where betrayal goes around, but that is also why there are strong bonds too.”
Seol-Hwi didn’t doubt this. It started because of her father’s debt, but the fact that she survived for several years in this cruel world…she isn’t a weak woman.
“But…” Haran raised her head and asked Seol-Hwi. “Why do you want to see the Lower District Sect branch leader?”
She remembered the first thing Seol-Hwi had said to her when they arrived at this restaurant. In return for saving her, he wanted to meet the people in charge of the Lower District Sect. If possible, it had to be the person with the highest position.
So, Haran was curious.
“I have something I need to find out.”
“I said this before, but it won’t be easy. I heard that the leader never goes out of his way unless he’s interested in something.”
“No need to worry about that. He’ll definitely want to meet with me.”
“Huh…?”
When Seol-Hwi said this so casually, Haran looked at him curiously. Why was he so confident?
Seol-Hwi looked above Haran’s head.
The words which were there before had vanished.
<Friendly Group ‘Lower District Sect’ has been activated.>
The Lower District Sect. The reason why Seol-Hwi had come here, talked with Haran, and did all this.
He needed info on the current situation from a third party.
As a group that buys and sells information, they will reduce the time it takes to get it, and increase the reliability of the information.
A guard of the Supreme Pavilion protecting Geum Man-jung? When and to what extent did they get close? And what is the relationship between them and Mount Hua? What too is the relationship between the Blue Dragon Sect leader Baek Yang-chun and Geum Man-jung?
Every question needed to be answered.
I’ll make my move after knowing this.
The reason why Seol-Hwi came to Sichuan.
Because of that information, he can try and remove those who interfered with the mission, in advance.
When Seol-Hwi was young, he heard many stories about the Lower District Sect.
A place which circulates a vast amount of information from around the nation. The Lower District Sect is the only intelligence-gathering sect which can be compared to the Beggars Union.
Perhaps, in certain areas, they are even superior.
This is because there are far too many people who risk their lives for even a small amount of money when they are poor.
Seol-Hwi could now understand it.
He turned his teacup upside down, crossed his chopsticks, and waited for a while.
How long was it?
Haran’s gaze shifted to the old woman who suddenly appeared. The old woman stood next to Seol-Hwi with a stick, and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Follow me.”
“…Ah!” Haran couldn’t help gasping.
The branch sect leader, the one whom Haran could have never met, now wanted to see Seol-Hwi.
“You, stay seated.”
Haran nodded at the old woman’s words.
A meeting with the sect leader.
Haran had no intention of going with them.
After exiting the restaurant, and walking along the side road, they entered a splendid building.
They were greeted with the sight of an artificial pond and a running water fountain.
Being able to create a pond like this indoors was quite amazing. Seol-Hwi became curious about the person with such a luxurious sense of interior decoration.
“You’re here?”
The man turned around. Surprisingly, he was young.
It was shocking for Seol-Hwi, who always saw sect leaders and branch leaders as old.
“I understand. Everyone is quite confused when they meet me for the first time.”
A smile could be seen on the face of the handsome man.
In fact, he might even be more handsome than the Earth Demon. He was beautiful, and gave off a calming aura.
“If one is a leader at a young age, shouldn’t they have their own order and weapons?”
“…”
“Come, have a seat.”
The young man guided Seol-Hwi to the table next to the pond.
As soon as Seol-Hwi sat down, he was asked, “Are you the person?”
“Why do you think that?”
“Even when we try to research, nothing comes out…” He paused and continued.
“The only information we have is that you came here by a horse-drawn carriage. And nothing more.”
“…?”
“In this case, I usually take a slightly different method of investigation. Rather than focus on where you came from, it was on figuring out what you did here.”
“And? How did that turn out?”
“I’ve heard information that you dealt with the red light district boss Chang Sik. It was apparently to save Haran, but it must have been with the intention to meet us. So the answer I came up with is this.”
“This?”
“Depending on what you ask me… I think I might know where you come from.”
“Oh.”
Seol-Hwi rubbed his chin.
This was fun!
Clearly, this man had all the information from this area on hand.
“Then tell me.”
Since his opponent came forward like this, Seol-Hwi thought that there was no need to drag this out.
“Do you know a person named Sang Cheon-jang around Geum Man-jung?”
“…?!”
Instantly, his eyes fluttered. His face was rigid.
It was a natural reaction.
After all, in the Central Plains, the name of the Demonic Sect can’t be taken lightly.
“No, you…”
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, you’re right.”
The young man had difficulty managing his expressions. And it’s probably not just because he was facing someone from the Demonic Sect.
A Demonic Sect member asking for information about another Demonic Sect member.
In other words, the man assumed that there was a struggle for power within the Demonic Sect. So he looked even more confused.
“It’s embarrassing. To say this from my mouth might come out…like an internal struggle exists within the sect…”
Seol-Hwi felt the need to capitalize on the situation, to get what he wanted.
“But the risk is great. The cost will be great too. Geum Man-jung is from our side.”
“…”
The young man was silent, but Seol-Hwi knew.
The silence right now wasn’t just that. Whether he liked it or not, he was already in the midst of the Demonic Sect’s issues.
Depending on what the young man chooses, his fate will change completely.
“Haha…I always have good luck with such things.” The young man smiled, but Seol-Hwi knew that it wasn’t genuine. “Can I ask you one thing?”
“Sure.”
“How much do you know?”
Seol-Hwi understood where this was going.
How much do you know?
It’s the question of “what kind of force are you” within the Demonic Sect.
It also implied that this would be what he thinks about when it comes to helping Seol-Hwi or not.
“Well, as far as what moves Goo Jong-myung’s disciple Lee Gu-myung makes.”
“…?!”
The young man abruptly stood up. It must have been hard to believe because he kept staring at Seol-Hwi.
“W…who are you?” He asked with a stiff face.
His tone had changed to a more respectful one than before.
Well, this was bound to happen. To mention the elder of Mount Hua was no different from saying he was no ordinary member of the sect.
“Let’s just call me a…pursuer.”
Goo Jong-myung’s disciple Lee Gu-myung. And the plot of that disciple to take the place of the Blue Dragon Sect leader.
Seol-Hwi will be able to know what relationship they had with Sang Cheon-jang.
“So, what do you think? Would you like to work with me?”
The first person Seol-Hwi decided to recruit for his purpose was the Lower District Sect branch leader in front of him.
