Chapter 339

Early morning.

Nestled in the arms of his favorite concubine, the City Lord of Sichuan Province asked groggily, “Who is it? Who’s here to see me?”

Confronted with his superior’s naked body first thing in the morning, the Captain of the Guards hurriedly lowered his gaze.

“Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan and a man named Cheongpung of Huashan request an audience.”

“Huashan?”

The name was fairly familiar.

Though he had been born into a powerful aristocratic family and lived a life entirely removed from Murim, even the City Lord of Sichuan had heard of Huashan more than once.

“Huashan… Isn’t that one of those Ten Great Sects or whatever they’re called?”

“More precisely, they are known as the Nine Sects and One Gang. Huashan is a prestigious sect renowned throughout Murim.”

“They’re still nothing but ruffians. Calling men who swing swords in broad daylight without so much as an identification plaque a prestigious sect… Tsk, tsk.”

The Captain of the Guards had once roamed the martial world himself. He had plenty to say, but antagonizing the City Lord would not be wise.

The City Lord clicked his tongue at the silent captain, then suddenly spoke again.

“Wait. The Jin Family of Taiyuan sounds rather familiar too.”

“It is an emerging sect that unified the Murim of Shanxi two years ago and has now made its name known throughout the Central Plains. Of course, if we are speaking only of the family’s history, it is old enough to rival the Nine Sects and One Gang…”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I’ve definitely heard the name plenty of times… Ah!”

After frowning in thought for a moment, the City Lord slapped his knee with a cry of realization.

“That’s right. The Jin Family Escort Bureau!”

“The Jin Family Escort Bureau…”

Only then did the Captain of the Guards recall what he had momentarily forgotten.

Come to think of it, it had not been that long ago. Three or four months at most. The sight of wagons laden with riches rolling in one after another had stretched the City Lord’s smile from ear to ear.

“But weren’t they the Jin Family Trading Company?”

“The Jin Family Escort Bureau and the Jin Family Trading Company. Both belong to the Jin Family of Taiyuan, if I remember correctly. Yes, it’s all coming back to me.”

The Jin Family of Taiyuan had entered the world of commerce in earnest by opening new trade routes through the northern tribes. Before long, its name had begun spreading throughout the Central Plains.

“So, what have they brought this time?”

The Captain of the Guards hesitated beneath the City Lord’s expectant gaze.

“Well… they appear to have come empty-handed.”

“What?”

“However, the young man named Jin Taekyung is a direct descendant of the Jin Family of Taiyuan and a young prodigy who has earned great fame in Murim…”

“Enough of that martial-world nonsense.”

The City Lord was already scowling.

Born into an aristocratic family, he had noble pride ingrained in his very bones.

If the Jin Family Trading Company had come bearing bribes, he would have welcomed them with open arms. But some young brat claiming to be the direct descendant of a frontier martial family and requesting a private audience at the crack of dawn was another matter entirely.

No need to hear him out. He’s obviously here to ask for some filthy favor. This is why you shouldn’t accept things from lowborn people so readily.

Having already decided they were unwelcome guests, the City Lord pulled the blanket up to his chin.

“Damn it. I finally got a good night’s sleep, and now my mood is ruined.”

At that moment, his favorite concubine stirred awake and asked in a seductive voice, “My lord, what has you so upset?”

“Some young brat showed up at the crack of dawn. You remember the Jin Family Trading Company that came by a few months ago, don’t you, Aehyang?”

“Oh my. Yes, yes. Of course I do.”

“He says he’s a direct descendant of the Jin Family of Taiyuan, a pack of martial-world ruffians from Shanxi.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, ‘and’? He’s obviously here to ask for some dirty favor, so I should throw him out immediately. How dare he…”

“My lord.”

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you meet him just this once?”

“W-What?”

“He might have brought another nice gift. Like this pretty necklace I’m wearing.”

The City Lord’s heart melted at his concubine’s coy smile.

Just as she said, many of the items the Jin Family Trading Company had brought last time had been rare treasures.

The various pieces of jewelry and ornaments said to have been made by the northern tribes were mysterious yet exquisitely crafted. His concubine wore them constantly and never took them off.

“It’s my request. Won’t you grant it? Please?”

Favorite concubine launches three seconds of pleading gaze!

It was super effective!

The City Lord of Sichuan frantically waved to the Captain of the Guards.

“Bring them in. Quickly!”

“Yes. Shall I escort them to the reception room?”

“What reception room? I’ll only be seeing their faces for a moment. Bring them here.”

“……”

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and bring in those martial-world ruffians.”

The Captain of the Guards bowed with a sour expression and left the room. The City Lord thrust out his protruding belly and put on airs for his concubine.

“I’m only agreeing to meet them as a special favor because you asked.”

“Thank you, my lord. But I heard those martial-world ruffians are terribly rough… Aehyang is scared.”

“What? Scared?”

The City Lord burst into hearty laughter, then declared in a deliberately stern voice, “Ho! I govern an entire city by the command of His Imperial Majesty himself. Are you saying you fear a few common street thugs?”

“Oh my. My lord, you’re so wonderful!”

The City Lord embraced the concubine nestled against him and smiled contentedly.

“Don’t worry about a thing. The moment those bastards enter, I’ll force them to their knees so they cannot even look at you.”

“Th-That’s…!”

Patter-patter-patter—thud!

The naked City Lord bolted out of bed, threw himself flat on the floor, and cried out, “I-I behold the token of His Highness Prince Shangshan!”

Good grief. Did he cook a locomotive smokestack rare and eat it?

His reaction was so extreme that even I was momentarily taken aback.

All I had done was take that out and show it to him.

Was it really that powerful?

I looked down at the gold plaque in my hand.

It had been about a year ago, if I remembered correctly. I had even held a private autograph session for Prince Shangshan, Zhu Bao, and received this Item as a Quest completion Reward.

System

Item Window

Prince Shangshan’s Token

Type: Treasure

Grade: None

Restriction: Jin Taekyung

Description: A token imbued with the authority of Prince Shangshan, Zhu Bao, the emperor’s only younger brother and an imperial prince. The clouds and dragon engraved into its surface symbolize the imperial family, and it is also of immense artistic value.

Special Note: Can be used only once.

I never expected to use something I had shoved into my Inventory and forgotten about like this.

I had known the imperial family wielded enormous authority in this world, but the City Lord’s reaction exceeded even my expectations.

It’s a shame I can only use it once.

Still, I couldn’t complain.

I decided to give Prince Shangshan even better fan service from now on.

Next time I see him, I’ll give him a rare collectible and even throw in a free hug.

When I remained silent, the City Lord cautiously raised his upper body.

At first, he had looked at Cheongpung and me as though we were street thugs. Now his eyes were trembling as though an earthquake had struck.

Wobble, wobble.

“……”

No, seriously. That did not need to be shaking too.

At my disgusted glare, the City Lord hurriedly covered his lower body.

“Th-There’s a reason for this…”

There probably was.

Spring flowers were beginning to bloom outside, but the smell of chestnut blossoms¹ was overpowering in here.

I picked up a blanket lying nearby and tossed it to him.

“Th-Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

If anything, I was the grateful one. Looking at a naked middle-aged man who appeared thirty-five weeks pregnant was torture in itself.

Beside me, Cheongpung stared at the City Lord’s bulging belly with keen interest and whispered, “Benefactor. Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Men can’t give birth.”

“Gasp!”

Still, he had come a long way. Just a year ago, he had firmly believed in the theory that cranes delivered babies by rocket express.

I addressed the City Lord, who had covered his lower body with the blanket and was watching me nervously.

“Neither of us gains anything by dragging this out, so I’ll get straight to the point. We came to ask you for a favor.”

“T-The messenger of His Highness Prince Shangshan need only speak. I will help to the fullest extent of my power.”

“I’m looking for someone. First, how many people can you mobilize?”

The City Lord hesitated before answering uncertainly, “W-Well, I’m not sure. Excluding the forces needed to defend against invasions by the border tribes, I believe I could mobilize several thousand.”

Several thousand government troops alone. If we added the constables from the local offices, the number would be even higher.

That was excellent news.

I smiled broadly, grabbed the City Lord by the shoulder, and pulled him to his feet.

“Then let’s start by searching everywhere around Chengdu. The first condition is that the person must be a physician.”

“A physician? The person you’re looking for is a physician?”

“Yes. People call him the Divine Physician.”

“Gasp! The Divine Physician? You mean that Divine Physician?”

“Why? Are you losing your nerve? If you do a good job, I could put in a good word for you with His Highness Prince Shangshan.”

After thinking for a moment, the City Lord of Sichuan cried out in a trembling voice, “I will devote myself to completing the mission!”

Wobble, wobble.

“……”

No, everything else was fine, but he really needed to stop that from shaking too.

The reputation I had heard about the City Lord of Sichuan was the worst imaginable.

He was known as an incompetent official who had claimed his current position through his family’s influence. His hobby was gobbling up bribes wherever he could get them, and his specialty was wine, women, and gambling—or so everyone said.

But he’s the City Lord.

That was what mattered most. Just as I had borrowed the authority of Prince Shangshan, Zhu Bao, the City Lord possessed the authority and power of the most powerful man in Sichuan.

“The City Lord of Sichuan, Won Gyun,² commands this! Let every official in Sichuan carry out my orders without fail!”

Hearing his name had made me trust him considerably less, but a City Lord was still a City Lord.

Courier horses bearing official documents raced to every corner of Sichuan, and notices seeking the Divine Physician were posted throughout the marketplaces. Naturally, an enormous reward was offered to anyone who provided information.

“A thousand silver nyang! As expected of an acquaintance of His Highness Prince Shangshan, you are truly generous!”

Won Gyun’s admiring gaze did not last long.

“What are you talking about? You’re paying for all of it.”

“……What?”

“Do I look like someone who carries around a thousand silver nyang?”

“N-No, but even so, that’s an enormous sum.”

“Then put it on credit. I’ll mention it to His Highness Prince Shangshan later and ask him to reimburse you.”

“No! I’ll pay it myself!”

“By squeezing the lifeblood out of the common people? Or by squeezing the fat out of your own belly?”

“Even if I have to spend my personal fortune, I will pay it myself!”

“Wow. Our City Lord is so cool!”

An enormous reward capable of changing a person’s life several times over, along with a huge number of people mobilized for the search.

But even that was not enough.

If the Divine Physician could be found with this much, the imperial court wouldn’t have given up.

Who was the Divine Physician?

He was an unknown figure whom the imperial court had failed to find even after spreading a proclamation throughout the world in the emperor’s name.

People like that generally preferred to avoid notice.

“Let the government troops handle the marketplaces and busy districts. We’ll search every scenic mountain and stream.”

“I agree.”

“I should’ve just stayed at Qingcheng…”

The hundreds of Disciples who had descended the mountain with the two Elders of the Qingcheng Sect were perfect for the task.

Three days after the government and Murim joined hands and began an unprecedented full-scale search, they finally arrived.

“Captain…”

The moment I saw the exhaustion written across Hyuk Mujin’s face and Gung Gibang standing beside him in grim silence, I understood.

Something went wrong.

I could not rejoice even though the men I had been waiting for had finally arrived. One look was enough to tell me they had not brought the news we had hoped for.

I walked forward without a word. Passing Hyuk Mujin and Gung Gibang, I stopped before the person behind them.

“I’m Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.”

She was a middle-aged nun. Her closely shaven head and pallid complexion immediately caught my eye.

She was the Emei Sect’s only reinforcement.

No. She looked more like the survivor of a routed army.

“Th-This humble nun’s Dharma name³ is Myoryeong… Cough.”

Drops of blood trickled down her chin.

An internal injury.

I caught her as she staggered. Looking into the eyes of Venerable Myoryeong, which seemed ready to fade away at any moment, I asked forcefully, “What on earth… happened?”