“...That is how they responded?”

“Yes. Their momentum was so vicious that Branch Chief Ga Yeokso of Hubei contacted us to say that, for the time being, he had no choice but to comply with them.”

“And then? You mean to say he delivered medicinal ingredients to that witch?!”

“For the moment, yes.”

“That blithering idiot! To commit such a blunder!”

“A blunder?”

“The Twin Tiger Gods, the strongest of the younger generation in the current martial world and the twin pillars of the Martial Alliance’s field forces, wield tremendous influence. Whether they themselves realize it or not, it would not be an exaggeration to say their reputations already rival those of senior elders of the great sects, even sect leaders.”

“That is true. Which is why all the more...”

“They built that kind of fame at such a young age. Do you have any idea how many people around them are trying to keep them in check? If those two truly meant to attack us, all we would have to do is immediately bring their extremism before the Service Lords of the Martial Alliance!”

“Ah...!”

“Our Medical God Association is a union of physicians who carry on the orthodox medical tradition of the Central Plains. From the point of view of the common people, what would they think of warriors from the Martial Alliance oppressing such physicians?!”

“I-I see. So no matter what threats those two make, the Martial Alliance cannot easily lay hands on us.”

“Not merely cannot lay hands on us easily. They cannot touch us at all. So long as we do not commit any obvious wrongdoing!”

“This is bad...”

“Ga Yeokso. I put him in the branch chief’s seat because his skill and reputation were excellent, but in the end I should have placed a man there with more political sense. I told him that unless it was an extreme situation, he must never act first and report later.”

“What should we do now?”

“What should we do? We proceed to the next plan!”

“The next plan...? Surely you do not mean...!”

“I did not send Ga Yeokso to them because I thought he would persuade them. Maybe not Yeon Hojeong, but Mo Yong-woo is the kind of man one can reason with, so I sent him to make Mo Yong-woo recognize the danger of that witch. I never expected a pack of stupid martial fools who know nothing about medicine to believe us on the spot in the first place.”

“But...”

“I sent him only to plant a single seed of doubt, and instead the imbecile caved the moment they threatened him. Utterly hopeless. How can I trust a man like that with anything important?”

“Vice Chairman, even so, the opponent is the Martial Alliance. As you yourself said, if we carry out that plan, the Martial Alliance will start seriously stirring up trouble for us.”

“It does not matter. We are not going to expose ourselves to the front line anyway.”

“Branch Chief Ga Yeokso said they declared that any pressure or attack directed at that witch from now on would be regarded as our doing.”

“Did you already forget everything I just said?! Those two alone can never touch us! While they waste time on that, we will move against the Service Lords of the Martial Alliance.”

“Ah...!”

“When I was innocently studying medicine, I did not understand it either. But you will learn soon enough. One cannot survive in this world through skill alone. It is a place ruled by politics and intrigue, betrayal and trickery. If the world is that filthy, then we too have no choice but to step into the mud if we mean to survive.”

“...”

“Make the preparations. At once.”

“Y-yes, understood.”

*****

The next day.

NEEEEEIGH!

At the head of the group, Yeon Hojeong rode with a face set hard as stone.

Mo Yong-woo called out.

“Hojeong!”

“What?”

“Is something bothering you? I know we need to move quickly, but even so, this feels too rushed.”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“I do not know what kind of organization the Medical God Association is, but if nothing else, a branch chief who can sway Hubei Province must have influence to match.”

“I think the same.”

“But something keeps catching at me.”

“Catching at you? What do you mean?”

“...Who knows.”

Setting everything else aside, this was their first time making contact with the organization called the Medical God Association.

They did not know what its real objective was, or where and how it operated. Even Yeon Hojeong, who had personally lived through the era of the Dark Emperor, had never once heard of an organization called the Medical God Association.

Has history changed? Is it a newly created organization? Or did it exist back then too, only operating so thoroughly beneath the surface that no one ever knew?

He could not tell.

What mattered was that even the Beggars’ Union did not seem to know much about the Medical God Association. If there had been even the slightest chance of becoming entangled with them, Ga Deoksang would have warned him in advance.

Which means we have absolutely no way of predicting what they might do.

In truth, they might be nothing more than a minor organization of no consequence. But the fact that their existence had never surfaced into the open was enough to warrant caution.

Mo Yong-woo said, “Do you think they really might attack the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions?”

“I do not know. My head says they would not, but something keeps bothering me.”

Mo Yong-woo’s face hardened.

He knew very well how sharp Yeon Hojeong’s instincts were. This was not the sort of thing to dismiss as a mere feeling.

Supreme discernment always brushed up against extreme intuition. Mo Yong-woo trusted Yeon Hojeong’s instincts as much as he trusted his eye.

“Then let us ride. We lose nothing by getting there faster.”

“Fine. Let’s do that.”

Four riders charged south at terrifying speed.

After riding for three or four days without pause, they reached the Yangtze in short order.

Mo Yong-woo approached one of the boatmen. The man was large, with a rough beard, the very image of a river sailor.

“Excuse me.”

“Hm?”

After looking Mo Yong-woo over, the sailor replied in an indifferent tone.

“What is it?”

They said the nerve of boatmen could rival the best under heaven, and it seemed the saying was not wrong. Even seeing a man in armor with a sword at his side, clearly either attached to the authorities or a martial artist, he was not the least bit nervous. If anything, he looked like he wanted to snort.

Mo Yong-woo spoke calmly.

“We need to cross the Yangtze quickly. Where can we find the ship that departs the soonest?”

The sailor’s eyes gleamed.

“Most any ship can depart quickly enough. Provided the money’s good.”

Mo Yong-woo’s face brightened.

“Is that so?”

“I do not know how much looking around you’ve done, but you came to ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the right place. Along this stretch of the Yangtze, you would have a hard time finding a fast boat quicker than ours.”

“We also need to load four warhorses.”

“Hm? Then you won’t want a slim speedboat. You’ll need something a bit bigger. And enough hay prepared too.”

“That is right.”

“Have you got enough money?”

“How much do you need?”

“The more the better. Same as every trade in the world. We work according to what we’re paid.”

There was no time to waste haggling over nonsense. Mo Yong-woo pulled a money pouch from his robes.

“Will this do?”

The sailor’s eyes widened as he took the pouch. Inside were no fewer than five gold ingots.

“Huh—well now! You’ve got money, all right. At that price, I could send you off this very moment.”

“Thank you. Then please do so at once.”

“Gladly. Been a while since I’ve had such straightforward customers. Ah, though there’s one more procedure.”

“A procedure? What sort of procedure?”

“Your affiliation. Are you from the army?”

“No.”

“Huh? Then what?”

Mo Yong-woo cast a glance behind him.

Then he lowered his voice.

“We belong to one of the Martial Alliance’s field forces.”

There was no need to blurt it out for all to hear. Mo Yong-woo had no desire to stir up the area.

But the sailor’s reaction was louder than he had expected.

“...One of the Martial Alliance’s field forces?!”

Mo Yong-woo frowned. The sailor’s voice had carried far too loudly.

“That is right.”

“...”

“What is the matter?”

The sailor looked at Mo Yong-woo with narrowed eyes, then held the pouch back out.

“Take it back.”

“...?!”

“I said take it back. For the time being, we aren’t carrying anyone affiliated with the Martial Alliance.”

Mo Yong-woo’s eyes shook.

“You are not carrying anyone from the Martial Alliance? Why?”

“That’s none of your concern. If you want a boat that badly, go find one somewhere else.”

“No, but at least give me a reason...”

“I said enough! Stop pestering me and go ask elsewhere!”

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong stepped forward.

The sailor flinched without meaning to. For an instant, he had been overwhelmed by the enormous axe slung over Yeon Hojeong’s shoulder.

With a smile, Yeon Hojeong asked, “I have heard that there are a few organizations formed among the boatmen.”

“So what if there are?”

His intimidation lasted only for a moment. The sailor quickly recovered his usual indifferent face.

“Was this an order from one of those organizations? Not to take anyone affiliated with the Martial Alliance?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“You are impressive indeed.”

“...What are you babbling about?”

“I have heard that most boatmen are bold fellows who stand comparison with masters of the martial world. That all of you are big-hearted and fearless, and that out on the water many of you are more dangerous in a fight than your average martial artist.”

“Hrmph!”

“Men who cut their way through such savage currents—how could your courage be anything but extraordinary? Seeing you in person, I feel all over again that every single boatman is a remarkable man.”

The sailor smacked his lips.

“Flatter me all you like, I still won’t take you. Be on your way.”

“I am not flattering you. I am only speaking my honest impression.”

“Fine, fine, now get...”

“But I had no idea those much-praised boatmen were swindlers.”

The sailor’s face turned ugly in an instant.

“Swindlers?!”

“This gentleman here was in a hurry, so he let it pass, but five gold ingots is enough money to buy two or three decent speedboats outright. Am I wrong?”

“Hrm! So what if it is?”

“No matter how important money may be, taking that much and then acting as though you are doing us a favor by letting us board? A lie is not the only kind of fraud in the world.”

The sailor twisted his mouth into a crooked smile.

“So what do you want me to do about it? The deal is off anyway.”

“You do not mind if word of what you did spreads through the whole area?”

“Spread it if you like. I can’t imagine what difference you think it will make.”

He said that, but his expression had visibly soured. From the look of it, they had rules of their own, and rumors like that would not do them any good.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“I will not spread the rumor. So please grant me one request.”

“Hah! What, now you think you’re going to bargain with me? Cut the nonsense and...”

“I’ll buy one speedboat.”

“...What?”

“You do not need to ferry us yourselves. Just take the five gold ingots and hand over a speedboat for us to use.”

The sailor’s eyes shook.

“You mean to cross the Yangtze by yourselves?”

“You said you could not take us aboard. Then we have no choice but to go on our own.”

“You’re insane. In this bitter winter, if you fall into the river, no matter how great a martial artist you are...”

“You only need to make your choice. I’ll ask you again. Will you take this money and sell us a speedboat? Or will you hand this excellent opportunity over to some other boatman?”

“...Gulp.”

“They told you not to take us aboard. They did not say you could not sell us a boat.”

“W-well, that’s true enough.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled and shook the pouch.

“I do not know where that order came from, but surely those of us from the Martial Alliance are not the sort to speak with forked tongues. Do not worry, and seize this fine opportunity. Better yet, there is no need even for that—just repeat my words to your superior right now.”

The sailor stared at the glittering pouch with shining eyes, then shouted over his shoulder.

“Hey! Jangchil!”

“Yes?”

“Bring out the Monster Fish.”

“The Monster Fish? Why?”

“You want to die, you little bastard? Bring it now!”

“Ah, yes, understood.”

Judging by the tone, he seemed to be one of the old hands.

The sailor cleared his throat and took the pouch.

“Don’t go spreading stories. Understood?”

“Do not worry.”

“Ahem! But have you ever handled a boat before? And what are you planning to do with those horses?”

“Keep them until we return.”

“Heh heh. Sell them and they’d fetch a decent price.”

“...”

“If you’re selling the horses too, then one more speedboat...”

In an instant, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned cold as ice. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The sailor’s face went pale at once.

“You.”

“...!!”

“We have been patient for quite a while. Stop running your mouth and bring the boat.”

A quarter of an hour later, after leaving their warhorses in the sailor’s care, the group crossed the Yangtze aboard the speedboat.