Chapter 339

Early morning.

The City Lord of Sichuan Province, who had been nestled in his favorite concubine’s arms, asked in a sleep-heavy voice,

“Who is it? Who came to see me?”

The Captain of the Guards, suddenly confronted with his superior’s naked body first thing in the morning, hurriedly lowered his gaze and answered,

“Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan, along with someone named Cheongpung of Huashan, requests an audience.”

“Huashan?”

It was a name he had heard often enough.

Born into a powerful aristocratic family and raised in a life with no connection to 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, it is called the Nine Sects and One Gang. Huashan is also a prestigious great sect with an extremely famous name in Murim.”

“They’re still nothing but ruffians. Calling men who swing swords in broad daylight without even carrying official identity plaques a prestigious great 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 was not a wise choice.

As the City Lord clicked his tongue at the silent captain, he suddenly spoke.

“Wait. The name 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 it many 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 the memory he had momentarily forgotten.

Come to think of it, it had not been all that long ago. Perhaps three or four months at most. The sight of wagons loaded with wealth rolling in one after another had brought a smile to the City Lord of Sichuan’s face.

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

“The Jin Family Escort Bureau and the Jin Family Trading Company. Both belonged to the Jin Family of Taiyuan, if I remember correctly. I remember now.”

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 here and there throughout the Central Plains.

“So, what have they brought this time?”

At the City Lord of Sichuan’s expectant gaze, the Captain of the Guards hesitated before answering,

“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 built an impressive reputation in Murim…”

“Stop with that martial-world nonsense.”

The City Lord’s face had already twisted into a scowl.

He had been born into an aristocratic family, and aristocratic pride was embedded in his bones.

If the Jin Family Trading Company had come bearing bribes, he would have welcomed them with open arms. But a young brat from a frontier martial family asking for a private audience early in the morning 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 too easily.

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

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

At that moment, his favorite concubine, who had just woken up, asked in a seductive voice,

“My lord, what has you so upset?”

“Some young brat showed up at the crack of dawn. You know, Aehyang? That Jin Family Trading Company that came by a few months ago.”

“Oh my. Yes, yes. Of course I remember.”

“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 obviously came 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 once?”

“W-What?”

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

At the concubine’s coy smile, the City Lord’s heart softened and melted.

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: launch three seconds of pleading gaze at target!

It was super effective!

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

“Bring them in. Quickly!”

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

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

“……”

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

The Captain of the Guards bowed with a displeased expression and left the room. The City Lord of Sichuan thrust his protruding belly proudly forward 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 of Sichuan burst into hearty laughter before shouting 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 ruffians?”

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

The City Lord of Sichuan embraced his concubine as she nestled into his arms and smiled contentedly.

“Don’t worry about a thing. The moment those bastards enter, I’ll make them kneel and keep them from even looking at you.”

“W-What is that?”

Rat-a-tat-tat—thud!

The City Lord of Sichuan rushed from the bed in his naked body, 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 violent 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 that the authority of the imperial family was powerful 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 provide Prince Shangshan with even more impressive fan service.

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 slowly raised his upper body.

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

Wobble, wobble.

“……”

No matter how you looked at it, that part did not need to be shaking too.

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

“T-There’s a reason for this…”

There probably was.

Spring flowers were blooming one by one outside, but in here the smell of chestnut blossoms was overpowering.

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

“T-Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I was the one who should be thanking him. Looking at a naked middle-aged man with a belly that made him look about 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 through rocket express.

I addressed the City Lord, who was hiding his lower body beneath the blanket and watching me nervously.

“There’s nothing to gain from dragging this conversation 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 of Sichuan hesitated before answering in an uncertain voice,

“Well, I’m not sure. If we exclude the forces needed to defend against invasions by the border tribes, I suppose we could mobilize several thousand.”

Several thousand government troops alone. If we included 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 search everywhere around Chengdu first. 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?”

“What’s the matter? Are you losing your nerve? If you do a good job, I can 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 shall complete this mission with all my heart and soul!”

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 by riding on his family’s prestige. 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 Prince Shangshan, Zhu Bao’s authority, he possessed the authority and power of the highest-ranking official in Sichuan.

“The City Lord of Sichuan, Won Gyun,¹ commands this! Let the officials of 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 carrying official documents raced to every corner of Sichuan, and notices seeking the Divine Physician were posted throughout the marketplaces. Naturally, a massive 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 amount.”

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

“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!”

A massive 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 had a tendency to avoid being noticed.

“Let the government troops handle the marketplaces and busy districts. We’ll search every place with beautiful mountains and clear water.”

“I agree.”

“I should’ve just stayed at Qingcheng…”

The hundreds of Disciples who had descended the mountain alongside the two Elders of the Qingcheng Sect were exactly the right people for the task.

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

“Captain…”

The moment I saw Hyuk Mujin, whose exhaustion was plain to see, and Gung Gibang, who stood silently with a grim expression, I realized what had happened.

Things had gone wrong.

I could not rejoice even though the people I had been waiting for had finally arrived. They had not brought the news we had been waiting for.

I walked forward without a word. Passing Hyuk Mujin and Gung Gibang, I stopped in front of one person.

“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.

The Emei Sect’s reinforcements consisted of her alone.

No, she looked more like a survivor of a routed army.

“I-I am a nun using the Dharma name 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?”