Chapter 88: In the Gray Area Between the Truth and the Lie (2)

Translator: hwarang

Editor: Klaurem

The next day the stories about the ‘Nameless Warrior’ swept across the Central Plain. This was like adding oil to the flame that was already sweeping across the Central Plain.

If killing the Decimator was meant to be his challenge against the powerful, then capturing Eom Hang Bool[a] meant that he was fighting for the people. Especially for the women who were the victims of Eom Hang Bool[b].

Although everyone was happy there were some who were cautious since they didn’t know what sort of political this would bring.

Aside from those few with the capture of Eom Hang Bool they were happy that another hero was born.

Even when I was eating at the restaurant everyone was talking about me. No the other me as ‘Lord Nameless Warrior’.

“If I was able to see his face even once I wouldn’t have any regrets.”

“After the previous mengju pa.s.sed away I was afraid that the Kang Ho didn’t have any more heroes, but now it seems someone has finally taken up that mantle.”

“Since the last place he was at was Jung Joo, he must still be here right?” Then he started staring around the restaurant.

His eyes met mine but he turned his head back to his friends. I must be thinking can I really meet the hero this easily, but I am that person that you want to meet.

I was surprised that the news would travel this fast.

Creating a news and spreading it was not an easy task. It required a lot of people and time. But this time this news was spreading on its own like a wildfire.

When I was still the mengju I saw Kang Ho through the eyes and ears of Kal Sa Ryang. But seeing it personally, Kang Ho was different than I thought. It was livelier than I thought.

Another thing that I realized was Kang Ho was desperately wis.h.i.+ng for a hero. I was thankful that these people are remembering me as the previous hero but still a bit bitter that they were blaming me for creating peace for too long.

Then someone sat down at my table without my permission. When I looked up it was Ma Ryung In.

“How does it feel? Being a hero?”

It seems that he left his guards outside and came in alone.

“I don’t know. I don’t know why they are making such a fuss about me killing one person. They know that I got the reward from the Alliance.”

“So what if they know. They believe that you will use it for good cause.”

“That’s laughable.”

“They say to become a hero you need to ride the time well. Even if you kill the same person but you didn’t ride the timing then no one will recognize you.”

“That’s true.”

“Anyway congratulation. We need to celebrate. Since you don’t drink on your own I will drink with you.”

We called one of the waiter and order wine and snack.

“I am thankful I made some money. But why are you treating me so well?”

“It’s a gift.”

“A gift?”

“It a gift to my new friend. Why are you making such an expression?”

“Can I be truthful?”

“Go ahead.”

“I think you are planning on something for me. Since it is strange for someone of your status to treat someone like me like this.”

“You really have no trust.”

“In my long road, aside from myself, I didn’t have anyone that I could trust.”

“Then why don’t you trust me?”

He raised a gla.s.s to me, but I drank without receiving it.

When Ma Ryung In exited the restaurant he got in a carriage that was arranged for him.

The person who was waiting for him inside was Chu Do Chi.

Right as Ma Ryung In entered the coach he said, “Give him something big. Do you have one that you can think of?”

“We might.”

“Good bigger the better. Something he could make a lot of money off of.”

“Yes, sir.”

Unable to hold back his curiosity Chu Do Chi asked, “Pardon me for asking but why are you treating him so well?”

“Are you curious?”

“Yes, it is to the point where I can't sleep.”

“Just wait. You will be able to sleep soon. Let's go.”

From the second floor window I was looking down at the coach.

When the coach was about to leave Ma Ryung In took his head out and waved his hand. I waved back.

Seeing that I waved back he went back into the coach. But Chu Do Chi had on an expression ‘punk! Lets see what happens.’

There was a reason for him doing this.

By doing this he knew that he would be gaining some of my trust.

***

Early next morning Chu Do Chi came to the inn.

He came in when I was having breakfast.

“If you didn’t have breakfast why don’t we eat together?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Don’t they say to live long you must have a hearty breakfast.”

“Do you want to live long?”

“Of course. Why else would I be hanging out with you?”

“You have another mission.”

“What is it?”

After quickly stuffing my food down to lowered my chopstick.

“I still haven’t been able to use the money that I got from capturing Eom Hang Bool.”

“You can use it later. This time the reward is even better.”

I stared at him then said, “Fine, since you are giving me work I guess I’m obliged. But why are you making me do all this work? Is it because you want to kill me and take my money?”

“Do you think we are that petty to steal from you?”

“Then why are you doing this?”

Since even Chu Do Chi didn’t even know why he seemed to be angry at me.

“Here, just take this.”

The piece of paper had the name, location and the habit of the villain.

To find out all of this information.

These corrupt b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!

If you had these why don’t you capture them yourself?

These organization never moved unless it benefited them.

The real villain is not the one who is in the paper but you.

***

My next target was an a.s.sa.s.sin named Jong Baek. He was an expert a.s.sa.s.sin who did all sort of a.s.sa.s.sination in Ha Nam.

Although Kang Ho was full of a.s.sa.s.sins the thing that set him apart from others were, for money he would a.s.sa.s.sinate even children and women who didn’t even master martial arts.

At the end of the fight, he asked me who I was, “…who are you?”

“Some call me Lord Nameless Warrior.”

“…how did you know where to find me?”

When I arrived, he was already hiding inside of his secret room.

But how did I know he was inside this room?

When I was still the mengju, I faced many a.s.sa.s.sination attempts on my life. Especially during the war with the Demonic Sects. They sent an a.s.sa.s.sin nearly every day, there were multiple a.s.sa.s.sination attempts on the same day as well.

So, if you wanted me to write a report about a.s.sa.s.sinations. I would be the most knowledgeable in this aspect.

“…were you an a.s.sa.s.sin before?” These were his last words.

During our fight, his a.s.sa.s.sin instinct was probably telling him that I was seeing through all of his tricks.

***

This time the southern district office was flipped upside down.

The rumored ‘Lord Nameless Warrior’ brought back a.s.sa.s.sin Jong Baek’s corpse. He even had a nine thousand nyang reward on his head.

With this most recent event my name was spread across Kang Ho once more.

That he is the enemy of those villains.

‘Lord Nameless Warrior’ became people's hopes and dreams.

Even if it wasn’t Ma Ryung In, I am sure others would have approached me to create a hero. But since he approached me it allowed me to cut down the time in realizing my goal.

But I still did not know what Ma Ryung In’s objective was. Now the real game has started. If you put this in term of chess, he had taken the momentum, now I must take it back.

A few days later I killed two people who were trailing me. But Chu Do Chi and Ma Ryung In didn’t say anything.

There were some days when someone was spying on me but now there were days where there was no one spying on me.

With this, our relations.h.i.+p seems to have gotten better.

Since the code led me all the way here, I was going to see it through the end even if it took some time.

I know that Kw.a.n.g Du would be worried about me but I knew that everyone else would be able to function without me.

A few days later, to gather some information I entered one of Jung Ju Martial Art School.

This was one of their headquarters in Ha Nam Castle, although there were few other schools this was their main school.

This school was very big, big enough to fit at least two hundred people. Although there were some workers most of them were Chu DO Chi’s subordinates.

Since Jung Ju had that secret laboratory I must set up a branch of my intelligence sect here so that they could gather more information about this place.

Anyway, the Jung Ju martial arts school was a bit lax compared to the manor. This was the place where Chu Do Chi resided. During the days that no one was spying on me, I would come here and observe Chu Do Chi. I found a location where I could listen in on his conversation without being discovered.

Since Ma Ryung In visited this place after visiting the Western Spear School and Eastern Sword School there was a high possibility that he will come back here.

And I was right. A few days later he came to this place.

“What is our ‘Lord Nameless Warrior’ doing right now?”

“He is just doing what he usually does. Goes to the entertainment house plays a bit come back eat and drink.”

“Find a way to get him more famous.”

“May I ask you why you are doing this for him?”

“Are you that curious?”

“Yes, I must know.”

“If you think I am doing this for him then you are wrong. Because I am not doing this for him.”

Ma Ryung In revealed his true intent, “Do you know what is happening in few days?”

“In few day? Do you mean the Grand Festival of the Gold?”

“Yes.”

The Grand Festival of the Gold was a grand festival that happened every year for a period of ten days. Everyone from the commoner to leaders of large merchant guilds to the mengju will be present. It was a grand event when everybody comes to enjoy the festive mood.

“My brother will be coming that time as well.”

If he meant by his brother, then must mean his brother Ma Chul Goon.

Blinking a couple of time Chu Do Chi said with his mouth opened, “Could you mean?”

“I will send him to kill my brother.”

Chu Do Chi just swallowed his saliva stunned.

“He is being called ‘Lord Nameless Warrior’ right now. If he kills my brother what sort of event might happen?”

Now I finally understood his true intent.

In his battle against the successors, his greatest challenge was Ma Chul Goon. His brother bad great backing both inside and outside the clan. So he was most likely to become the next successor.

But what would happen if he dies?

It probably would come to him since he was the next strongest candidate.

Although he was like the other successor when he was inside the clan he was a completely different person outside the clan.

“He has great skill, and now with the added internal energy don’t you think this might be a possibility?”

“But can he kill Ma Chul Goon?”

“It doesn’t matter if he fails.”

“What?”

“It's just the fact that he tried to kill my brother that is important. What would people think when the hero of Kang Ho tried to kill my brother? The public might question my brother’s action and some might think that he has done evil.

“Ah!”

Now Chu Do Chi understood what he wanted to do with me.

“But what if he says our name during the interrogation.”

“They will try to kill me.”

“What?”

“But we have ‘that’.”

‘That’ even made Chu Do Chi tremble.

It was probably the thing that he wanted to show me on the first day that I was there. So this was all part of his plan.

Ma Ryung In smiled, “So you must do your best to make our hero stronger and more glorious.”

I heard everything that they said.

So that is their plan huh?

I knew he was going to do something. I expect that he was going to use me as an experiment but this was the reason?

But this? I have even thought about it.

And I also needed to know what ‘that’ was.

Now that I have gained the upper hand I smiled.

Good, I will take up your challenge.

[a]Is this the guys name or is it Um Haeng Bool?

[b]name check